An Introduction to Duraclon Side Effects
As with any medicine, side effects are possible with
Duraclon® (
clonidine hydrochloride). In fact, the seriousness of the side effects must be weighed against the possible benefits when deciding whether or not to take this medication. However, not everyone who takes the medication will experience serious side effects. In some cases, side effects may be minor and either require no treatment or can be treated easily by you or your healthcare provider.
(This article covers many, but not all, of the possible side effects with Duraclon. Your healthcare provider can discuss a more complete list of Duraclon side effects with you.)
Common Side Effects of Duraclon
Duraclon has been studied thoroughly in clinical trials. In these studies, the side effects that occur in a group of people taking the drug are documented and are then compared to side effects that occur in another group of people taking a placebo (in this case, an epidural infusion with no active ingredients). This way, it is possible to see what side effects occur, how often they appear, and how they compare to the group not taking the medicine.
Because Duraclon should always be taken along with opiates, the studies used Duraclon (or the placebo) in combination with epidural
morphine administration. This is important, because some of the side effects reported in these studies could be due to the morphine, not necessarily the Duraclon.
In one study, the most common Duraclon side effects (that occurred more frequently with Duraclon than with the placebo) included:
- Low blood pressure (hypotension) -- in up to 44.8 percent of people
- Low blood pressure upon sudden standing -- up to 31.6 percent
- Dry mouth -- up to 13.2 percent (see Clonidine and Dry Mouth)
- Dizziness -- up to 13.2 percent
- Confusion -- up to 13.2 percent.
Other common side effects (occurring in 2 to 8 percent of people) included:
- Nausea and/or vomiting
- Sweating
- Chest pain
- Hallucinations
- Ringing in the ears (tinnitus).
Some of these side effects, in addition to being common, are also serious (see the following section for more information).
