Toprol is one of the primary beta-blockers among medicines. What it does essentially is slow down your heartbeat, which reduces the stress this organ goes through in the process, making it easier for you to deal with heart conditions. It’s often used as a combinatory drug, but it’s also very helpful on its own.
Toprol is just a brand name for a substance called Metoprolol. It was discovered in the late 60s and approved for use in the early 80s. Since then, it remained one of the primary such solutions. Much of Toprol is made by AstraZeneca, but the substance as a whole has other manufacturers, as well.
About Beta Blockers
Beta-blockers are a type of substance that blocks the discharge of adrenalin hormones. Since they are the primary culprit behind increased heart rate, blood pressure, and other related problems, beta blockers actively decrease the stress that the heart has to go through.
Consequently, such products relieve some heart conditions, like angina, heart failure, tachycardia, and others. In exchange, you may experience some uncomfortable side effects, although Toprol is a relatively mild drug and doesn’t have many terrible contraindications.
It’s still a prescription drug, meaning that you have to go to the doctor for it and actually prove that you have heart problems. It’s not for everyone, though, because beta-blockers are still not very compatible with certain medications, and some conditions make it impossible for you to take this stuff.
Buying Toprol Online
Toprol is considered a relatively cheap drug, even in the US, where medicine is notoriously costly. In the US, the average price for a Toprol tablet is at least $2, depending on the tablet weight, quantity in the package, and maybe also the variety of the drug.
These typically come in several weight varieties, including 25mg, 50mg, and 100mg. These are oral tablets, which is the most typical form of Toprol on the market. They have an elongated oval shape, and you can typically split them to measure your dose very precisely.
Although it’s cheaper to buy in Canada, as with most other drugs, the price difference for this specific drug is not significant. It’s just about $1 per tablet. If you buy it in bulk, however, it makes a significant difference. Moreover, you can order this stuff online, instead of going to the store, and getting it delivered from Canada to the USA isn’t very time-consuming.
Generic Toprol
A generic Toprol has essentially the same effects, properties, composition, adverse effects, and other characteristics as a regular Toprol. However, it doesn’t have this name, doesn’t have the brand, and isn’t manufactured by AstraZeneca. It’s called generic because it’s really just the basic compound, Metoprolol.
It’s sold under this name, as well. If you see a product that bears the same characteristics as Toprol but is called otherwise, that’s the generic version. Its main advantage is that it’s even cheaper without quality compromises. There isn’t a downside to this type of medicine.
All generic medicine in Canada undergoes the same quality control as regular medicine. It’s cheaper because there isn’t as much marketing going into these things. They are just sold as its baseline compound, and that’s it.
In Canada, the generic Toprol costs even less than $1. On Canadian Pharmacy, this stuff can be found for as little as $0.5, which is at least 4 times less compared to the usual prices down South. So, there’s really no reason not to buy generic now that you can do it online.
Effects
Toprol mostly works with the adrenal glands, which are located in the kidney area.
The adrenal gland produces the adrenalin (and noradrenalin) that can stimulate beta-adrenergic receptors throughout the body, including those in the heart. They stimulate these organs immensely, as a result. When these hormones are blocked by Toprol, the heart experiences a decrease in its rate and force of contraction.
For this reason, you can experience lower blood pressure, and Toprol can also decrease the oxygen demand of the heart, which makes it helpful in treating angina and heart failure. So, it’s good for managing various heart conditions because it impedes the effects of adrenaline on the heart.
Taking Toprol
Toprol usually comes in the form of oral tablets, taken with or without food, usually once a day. It can be taken twice a day, which isn’t uncommon, but the schedule depends on your condition, as well as its severity. The dosage can also vary depending on these factors.
It’s usually around 100-450mg per portion, and the doctor can decrease or increase it within this margin based on your response to the drug, your progress, and other factors. You should typically take it every day for the duration of 2 weeks, which is the usual time needed to Toprol to start acting.
Adverse Effects
Toprol isn’t a particularly uncomfortable medication when it comes to adverse effects. They are pretty mild, and not terribly frequent. Some of the more common problems include headaches, dizziness, weakness, cold feet and hands, nausea, vomiting, mood swings, sleepiness, and more.
It can also occasionally lead to worsening chest pain and irregular heart rate instead of the opposite, as it’s supposed to do. Such effects are rare and dissipate soon, but you should still seek help if they happen. Moreover, swelling and difficulty breathing can also happen rarely.
Moreover, it’s possible to have an allergic reaction to Toprol. You should be tested for it beforehand, anyway, but there’s a chance that they missed it. There are also certain other drugs that Toprol doesn’t work well with. That includes Diphenhydramine, Digoxin, and calcium channel blockers.
Certain cardiovascular diseases are also a no-no with Toprol, which sounds counterintuitive. In general, Toprol is considered a very effective but relatively specialized drug that helps in particular with angina, heart failure, general heartache, and some kidney problems.