What is guanfacine?
Guanfacine reduces nerve impulses in your heart and blood vessels. Guanfacine works by relaxing blood vessels, which lowers blood pressure and improves blood flow.
Guanfacine is used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension). It is sometimes given together with other blood pressure medications.
Guanfacine is also used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children who are at least 6 years old.
Guanfacine may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.
What is the most important information I should know about guanfacine?
You should not use this medication if you are allergic to guanfacine.
Before you take guanfacine, tell your doctor if you have heart disease, heart block, coronary artery disease or a history of stroke, low blood pressure, kidney or liver disease, or if you have recently had a heart attack.
Guanfacine may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be alert.
Avoid becoming overheated or dehydrated during exercise and in hot weather. Avoid drinking alcohol.
To be sure this medication is helping your condition and not causing harmful effects, your doctor will need to check your progress on a regular basis. Your blood pressure and heart rate may also need to be checked. Do not miss any` follow-up visits to your doctor.
If you are being treated for high blood pressure, keep using this medication even if you feel fine. High blood pressure often has no symptoms. You may need to use blood pressure medication for the rest of your life.
Tell your doctor if you regularly use other medicines that make you sleepy. They can add to sleepiness caused by guanfacine.
What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking guanfacine?
You should not use this medication if you are allergic to guanfacine.
To make sure you can safely take guanfacine, tell your doctor if you have any of these other conditions:
heart disease or heart block;
coronary artery disease or a history of stroke;
low blood pressure;
kidney disease;
liver disease; or
if you have recently had a heart attack.
FDA pregnancy category B. This medication is not expected to be harmful to an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment.
It is not known whether guanfacine passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.