Ivabeat (Ivabradine 5mg) Tablets

Ivabeat general information

What is Ivabeat used for?

Ivabeat tablets 5mg are used to treat patients with coronary artery disease, which is narrowing of blood vessels that supply the heart, who have symptomatic stable angina pectoris where the heart rate is 70 beats per minute or higher.  When the heart does not get enough oxygen it compensates by pumping harder and faster, causing symptoms of angina including chest pain and breathlessness on exertion.  Symptoms of angina are more common in conditions when the heartbeat increases such in situations of stress or when exercising.  Ivabeat tablets 5mg are used for those who cannot tolerate standard therapy using beta-blockers or if beta-blockers are contraindicated; also in combination with beta-blockers for those whose condition is not fully controlled with a beta-blocker.  Ivabeat tablets 5mg are also used to treat chronic heart failure (CHF) (classification NYHA II to IV class) with systolic dysfunction, in patients in sinus rhythm and whose heart rate is 75 beats per minute or higher.  Chronic heart failure is when the heart does not pump efficiently and cannot maintain adequate circulation of blood, because the heart muscle has become weakened and the heart works harder to compensate.  Symptoms include oedema (fluid collection in the tissues and in the lungs) due to poor circulation, causing swelling usually in the arms, legs and ankles; also shortness of breath, breathlessness on exertion, cough, weakness and fatigue.  For chronic heart failure Ivabeat tablets 5mg can be used in combination with standard therapy, which includes a beta-blocker or when beta-blockers cannot be tolerated or are contraindicated.

How does Ivabeat work?

Ivabeat tablets 5mg contain ivabradine, a heart rate lowering drug that is used to treat stable angina and chronic heart failure to relieve symptoms by lowering the heart rate.  Ivabradine in Ivabeat tablets 5mg works by selectively and specifically inhibiting the cardiac pacemaker current (I_f) that regulates heart rate.  The cardiac pacemaker current acts on the sinoatrial node and controls the spontaneous slow diastolic depolarisation, which is when the positive sodium-potassium ions that have accumulated during the resting phase (diastole) trigger the heart muscle to contract (systole).  Ivabradine in Ivabeat tablets 5mg blocks the cardiac pacemaker ion channel by entering the cell and binding to a site in the channel pore, which directly reduces the heart rate.  This reduces oxygen demand by the heart muscle cells and improves oxygen supply to the heart by prolonging the resting phase (diastole), which in turn increases blood flow to the heart.  When the heart does not have to work as hard, it requires less oxygen and the reduced workload relieves symptoms of angina and chronic heart failure. 

What does Ivabeat contain?

Ivabeat tablets 5mg contain the active ingredient ivabradine, a heart rate lowering drug that is used to treat stable angina and chronic heart failure. 

Treating angina with Ivabeat

Ivabeat tablets 5mg contain ivabradine, a heart rate lowering drug that is used to treat symptomatic stable angina in patients with coronary artery disease who cannot tolerate standard therapy using beta-blockers or if beta-blockers are contraindicated; also in combination with beta-blockers for those whose condition is not fully controlled with a beta-blocker.  Symptoms of angina include chest pain and breathlessness on exertion and are more common in conditions when the heartbeat increases such in situations of stress of when exercising.  These symptoms are caused by narrowing of the blood vessels that supply the heart, which causes the heart to pump faster and harder to compensate for lack of oxygen.  Ivabradine in Ivabeat tablets 5mg works by selectively and specifically inhibiting the cardiac pacemaker current that regulates heart rate, which slows the heart rate, reducing workload on the heart and relieving symptoms of angina. 

Ivabeat for chronic heart failure

Ivabeat tablets 5mg contain ivabradine, a heart rate lowering drug that is used to treat chronic heart failure, to relieve symptoms including oedema (fluid collection in the tissues) causing swelling due to poor circulation, usually in the arms, legs and ankles; also shortness of breath, breathlessness on exertion, cough, weakness and fatigue.  Symptoms of chronic heart failure are the result of inadequate circulation of blood, because the heart muscle has become weakened and does not pump efficiently but works harder to compensate for lack of oxygen.  Ivabradine in Ivabeat tablets 5mg works by selectively and specifically inhibiting the cardiac pacemaker current that regulates heart rate, which slows the heart rate, reducing workload on the heart and relieving symptoms of chronic heart failure.  

Ivabeat for Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS)

Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome also known as POTS is a medical condition where the change from lying to standing causes an abnormally large increase in heartbeat rate. Main symptoms include light-headedness, weakness upon standing, visual effects, headaches, and muddled thinking. POTS affects females approximately five times more than males.

A small study published in February 2021 with 22 enrollees in the 18-65 years range, mostly female with POTS showed an improvement in heart rate and quality of life measures. While further research is required this study suggested that ivabradine was well tolerated with no significant side effects. Study participants with POTS experienced a reduced heart rate, and symptomatic improvement.

What are the side effects of Ivabeat?

The most commonly reported side effects when taking Ivabeat tablets 5mg include headache, dizziness, luminous phenomena (a visual disturbance of enhanced brightness), blurred vision, bradycardia (slow heart rate), irregular heartbeat, uncontrolled blood pressure.

When should Ivabeat not be used?

You should not use Ivabeat tablets 5mg if you:

• are allergic to ivabradine or any ingredients in Ivabeat
• are pregnant or are breastfeeding
• have severe kidney or liver disease
• have a slow resting heart rate below 70 beats per minute prior to treatment
• have cardiogenic shock, have recently had a heart attack, or have a heart rhythm disorder
• your heart rate is controlled by a pacemaker
• your angina or chronic heart failure suddenly becomes worse
• have severe hypotension (very low blood pressure)
• are taking medicines that interact with Ivabeat including the antifungals ketoconazole and itraconazole, macrolide antibiotics like clarithromycin and, HIV protease inhibitors like nelfinavir and ritonavir, the calcium channel blockers diltiazem or verapamil for high blood pressure, other heart medications like quinidine or amiodarone, the antipsychotic pimozide, the antiepileptic phenytoin, the anti-infective rifampicin, the herbal remedy St John's Wort for depression, potassium depleting diuretics like furosemide and hydrochlorothiazide,

What medications interact with Ivabeat?

Several medications interact with Ivabeat tablets 5mg and should either not be taken while you are taking Ivabeat or only after discussion and instruction from your doctor:

• Drugs that cause a serious reaction with Ivabeat: other heart medications like quinidine or amiodarone, the antipsychotic pimozide, potassium depleting diuretics like furosemide and hydrochlorothiazide
• Drugs that affect Ivabeat: the antifungals ketoconazole and itraconazole, macrolide antibiotics like clarithromycin and, HIV protease inhibitors like nelfinavir and ritonavir, the calcium channel blockers diltiazem or verapamil for high blood pressure, the antiepileptic phenytoin, the anti-infective rifampicin, the herbal remedy St John's Wort for depression

How should Ivabeat be taken?

You should take your Ivabeat tablets 5mg with a glass of water twice daily morning and evening and with food, but avoid drinking grapefruit juice as this affects the amount of drug that reaches your circulation.  Your dose may be changed depending on how well you respond and your doctor’s recommendation.  You should continue to take your Ivabeat tablets 5mg for as long as recommended by your doctor which may be up to three months or longer depending on your doctor’s recommendation.

How long should you take Ivabeat?

You should continue to take your Ivabeat tablets 5mg for as long as recommended by your doctor which may be up to three months or longer depending on your doctor’s recommendation.

Missed dose of Ivabeat

If you miss a dose of Ivabeat tablets 5mg take it as soon as you remember, unless it is time to take the next dose, then skip the missed dose.  Do not take a double dose.

How should Ivabeat be stored?

You should store your Ivabeat tablets 5mg below 25°C in a cool dry place and protect from light.