SULAR Hypertension Medication from Sciele Pharma, Inc.

Dec Font Size
Reset Text Size
Inc Font Size

Geomatrix is a registered trademark of Jagotec AG. Shionogi Pharma’s use of the Geomatrix technology is under license from SkyePharma.

You are not alone. Hypertension affects approximately 50 million Americans and over 1 billion people worldwide.¹ While hypertension is a serious condition, you can manage it with a combination of lifestyle modifications and drug therapy.

What is blood pressure and how is it measured?

The force of blood traveling through and pushing against your arteries is referred to as “blood pressure.” When your healthcare professional measures your blood pressure, he or she uses a tool called a “sphygmomanometer” which has an inflatable cuff to measure your blood pressure and provides you with 2 numbers as your heart beats:

The higher number represents the pressure when your heart contracts during a heartbeat and is called “systolic” pressure; this is the first, or top, number given to you.
The lower number represents the pressure that is present when your heart relaxes (between beats) and is called “diastolic” pressure; it is the second, or bottom, number.

What is high blood pressure or hypertension?

Normal blood pressure is less than 120/80 mm Hg. Your blood pressure is constantly changing—often higher during waking hours and activities and lower during times of rest.² Consistently elevated blood pressure causes the heart to work harder in order to supply the body with the necessary blood supply it requires. Over time, high blood pressure can lead to cardiovascular disease (disease of the heart and blood vessels) and/or kidney disease.

Based on new national guidelines, there are 3 stages of hypertension.

Patients with blood pressure 120 to 139 (top number)/80 to 89 (bottom number) mm Hg are labeled with “prehypertension” meaning they are at a higher risk for developing hypertension and may be able to control their blood pressure through lifestyle modifications.
Patients with a blood pressure of 140 to 159 (top number)/90 to 99 (bottom number) mm Hg have Stage 1 hypertension.
Patients with a blood pressure of ≥160 (top number) and ≥100 (bottom number) mm Hg have Stage 2 hypertension.

The more elevated your blood pressure is, the more risk you have for heart attacks, heart failure, stroke, and kidney disease. In addition to lifestyle modification, patients with Stage 1 and 2 hypertension can benefit from drug therapy.¹

What are the common symptoms of hypertension?

Hypertension is often called a “silent disease” since it can go undiagnosed with relatively few or no symptoms for many years.² The only way to definitively diagnose hypertension is to be checked by your healthcare professional on a regular basis or through available in-home monitors. If you have hypertension, you will rarely experience symptoms. However, if you experience any of the following, you should ask your healthcare provider to check your blood pressure²:

Headaches
Dizziness
Nosebleeds
Excessive sweating
Muscle cramps
Weakness
Frequent urination
Rapid or irregular heartbeat (palpitations)

What are the common risk factors for hypertension?²

There are many risk factors associated with high blood pressure—some can be modified and others cannot. Ask your healthcare professional how best to modify your risk factors.

Age. Risk increases with age, especially after 55
Race. High blood pressure occurs far more frequently in African Americans
Gender. High blood pressure is more common in younger men than in younger women, but the opposite is true for men and women age 60 and older
Family history. High blood pressure tends to be genetic
Obesity. The greater your body mass, the more blood you need to supply oxygen and nutrients to your tissues, and the more stress there will be on your heart and blood vessels
Inactivity. Lack of physical activity increases your risk for high blood pressure
Tobacco use. The nicotine and other chemicals in tobacco can damage blood vessel walls, causing the arteries to harden and the heart muscles to have to work harder
Sodium. Excessive sodium (salt) leads to fluid retention and can increase blood pressure
Excessive alcohol. Over time, heavy drinking can damage your heart muscle
Stress. High levels of stress can lead to a temporary but dramatic increase in blood pressure

How can hypertension be treated?

Hypertension can usually be controlled, but not cured.² A combination of lifestyle modifications (healthy diet, exercise, and stress reduction) and medication are commonly used to treat hypertension. Also, do not smoke tobacco and stay away from tobacco smoke.

Indication:
SULAR is indicated for the treatment of hypertension. It may be used alone or in combination with other antihypertensive agents.

Important Safety Information:
The most common adverse events, reported in US placebo-controlled trials, were peripheral edema, headache, and dizziness. In rare cases, some patients, particularly those with severe obstructive coronary artery disease, have developed increased frequency, duration, and/or severity of angina, or acute myocardial infarction on starting calcium channel blocker therapy or at the time of dosage increase. Safety of SULAR in patients with heart failure has not been established. SULAR should be administered cautiously in patients over the age of 65 and in those with severe hepatic dysfunction. Because nisoldipine, like other vasodilators, decreases peripheral vascular resistance, careful monitoring of blood pressure during the initial administration and titration of SULAR is recommended. SULAR should not be taken with grapefruit products.

Please click here for full prescribing information.

Your Healthcare Provider can give you more information about Sular or call (800) 849-9707 ext 1454. Ask your Healthcare Provider if Sular may be right for you.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.FDA.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

Images are for illustrative purposes only.

References: 1. National High Blood Pressure Education Program. The Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure. Available at: http://www.nhlbi.nih.govjguidelines/ hypertension/jnc7full.pdf. Accessed November 12, 2006. 2. Mayo Clinic. High blood pressure (hypertension). Available at: http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/high-blood-pressure/DS00100/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print. Accessed November 12, 2007.