What Should I Tell My Healthcare Provider?
You should talk with your healthcare provider prior to taking penbutolol if you have:
Also, let your healthcare provider know if you are:
Make sure to tell your healthcare provider about all other medicines you are taking, including prescription and nonprescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.
How Does Penbutolol Work?
Penbutolol belongs to a group of drugs called beta-adrenergic blocking agents, known as
beta blockers for short. As you might guess, these medications block beta receptors in the body. In addition to blocking beta receptors, however, penbutolol also slightly stimulates them. Only a few beta blockers do this; this slight stimulatory action is known as "intrinsic sympathomimetic activity" or ISA.
Beta receptors are located in a number of places within the body, including the heart and blood vessels. Stress hormones such as adrenaline bind to these receptors and cause certain reactions in the body, such as:
By blocking beta receptors, penbutolol causes the reverse effect of stress hormones and reduces blood pressure. It may have less effect on heart rate and the workload of the heart compared to most other beta blockers, due to the fact that it slightly stimulates beta receptors.
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