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  Discussion on Guanabenz
Author Message
New Member:
sgpht

Posted on Monday, Jul 26, 2010 - 5:32 pm:

Can anyone give me some insight on this drug.
Are there any drug interactions with any other sedatives?
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Monday, Jul 26, 2010 - 9:11 pm:

Welcome Julie,
Can you tell us what is in this medication, along with concentration and dosage recommendations?
DrO
New Member:
sgpht

Posted on Monday, Jul 26, 2010 - 10:23 pm:

Bottle says
Guanabenz 4mg/ml
recommended dosage 2 cc 3 hours from competition.
Just wondering if anyone has used this and what their experiences are with it. If there is anything I need to watch for.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Tuesday, Jul 27, 2010 - 10:58 pm:

I have no information about it's use in horses but have found this information on human use on the internet. I have shamlessly copied it here. I have noted that it is a alpha-two agonist which means it is in the same class of drugs of tranquilizers as xylazine (Rompun) and detomidine (Dormosedan). You can read more about these two drugs on the Sedative topic page.
DrO

Guanabenz (pronounced GWAHN-a-benz, sold under the trade name Wytensin) is an alpha agonist of the alpha-2 type that is used as an antihypertensive drug. It is used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension).

Guanabenz lowers blood pressure by decreasing the levels of certain chemicals in the blood. This allows the blood vessels (veins and arteries) to relax (widen). Guanabenz is used to treat hypertension (high blood pressure). Guanabenz may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide.

The most common side effects during guanabenz therapy are dizziness, DrOwsiness, dry mouth, headache and weakness, therefore driving or operating dangerous machinery is not recommended.
Do not stop taking guanabenz suddenly without first talking to your doctor. This could cause severely high blood pressure, nervousness, and anxiety. Use caution when rising from a sitting or lying position, especially first thing in the morning. Dizziness may occur while taking guanabenz and may result in a fall.

Before taking guanabenz, tell your doctor if you have:
heart disease;
had a heart attack or stroke;
liver disease; or
kidney disease.

You may need a dosage adjustment or special monitoring during treatment if you have any of the conditions listed above.

Guanabenz is in the FDA pregnancy category B. This means that it is not expected to be harmful to an unborn baby. Do not take guanabenz without first talking to your doctor if you are pregnant or could become pregnant during treatment. It is not known whether guanabenz passes into breast milk and if it will affect a nursing infant. Do not take guanabenz without first talking to your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby. If you are over 60 years of age you may be more likely to experience side effects from guanabenz therapy. Your doctor may prescribe a lower dose.
Member:
gramsey1

Posted on Wednesday, Jul 28, 2010 - 4:31 pm:

I did a little search. It is banned by FEI. And would be detectable for many hours after administering the dose.

There is quite a bit of information to be found by a google search.

https://www.google.com/search?q=guanabenz++in+horses&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-S earchBox&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&sourceid=ie7&rlz=1I7TSHA
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