Getting the best care for heart failure also means keeping yourself well-informed.

Choose trustworthy Web sites for health information

The Internet is a valuable tool for helping you find up-to-date information on health issues like heart failure. But not all Web sites are credible and accurate!

This site provides information on heart failure gathered from government and medical association sources, as well as from medical journals. It also includes links to other resources, including Web sites offering information for heart failure patients.

Here's how to find other Web sites that offer health information:

• U.S. government agency Web sites. These sites, with Web addresses ending in .gov, are a frequent resource for information. The National Institutes of Health information page lets you search for information on almost every health topic. You can also find links to other informational sites, including those of major university health centers — such as Harvard University and the Mayo Clinic — and health organizations — such as the American Heart Association.
  
  
• Look for the author's or content creator's name and credentials. A Web site's author or sponsor should be clearly identified and have current contact information available (especially a telephone number for questions). Reliable Web sites will prominently display this information.
  
  
• Use several sources. To make sure information from one source is reliable compare it to information from other sources. When several sources report similar information, it is more likely to be accurate and up to date.
  
  
• Make sure information is timely. Choose Web sites that are regularly updated and maintained. Reliable sites will often indicate when their information pages were last updated or reviewed.
  
  
• Read the privacy policy. If you are asked to provide personal information, find out how it will be used and if it will be shared with others.
  
  
• Use your best judgment. If some information seems too good to be true, it probably is.

Keep up with heart failure research

For information on clinical studies involving heart failure and related conditions, as well as information on contacting the researchers, you can visit:

• ClinicalTrials.gov. This site, sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, lists details about government-supported and privately supported clinical trials covering various health matters, including heart failure. It also includes easy-to-understand details about how clinical trials are conducted and what questions you should ask if you're considering enrolling.
  
  
• CenterWatch. This site offers information on industry-supported clinical trials covering various health matters, including heart failure. You can also use the site to search for studies being conducted in your area and to sign up for e-mail notifications of new trials that are starting.

Information for Patients about BiDil®

BiDil is approved for use in addition to routine heart medicines to treat heart failure in black patients, to extend life, improve heart failure symptoms, and help patients stay out of the hospital longer. There is little experience in patients with heart failure who experience significant symptoms while at rest. Most patients in the clinical study of BiDil received routine heart failure medicines.

Important Safety Information

Tell your doctor about any allergies you have, especially if you're sensitive to nitrates, such as nitroglycerin tablets or isosorbide dinitrate (Sorbitrate® or Isordil®). BiDil has a nitrate component, so you need to let your doctor know.

Tell your doctor if you're taking any erectile dysfunction or pulmonary hypertension drugs, like Viagra®/Revatio™ (sildenafil), Levitra® (vardenafil) or Cialis® (tadalafil). Mixing these with BiDil may cause a sudden drop in blood pressure, fainting, chest pain, or heart attack.

Also tell your doctor if you are taking any medication to decrease blood pressure because when taken with BiDil, blood pressure may become too low.

Drinking alcohol when taking BiDil could make you feel very lightheaded. We recommend that you try to avoid drinking alcohol while taking BiDil.

It is possible you'll get headaches, especially at first. For some patients, Tylenol® (acetaminophen) helps ease the discomfort. Keep your doctor posted on your headache progress and Tylenol use; he or she may want to adjust your dosage.

If you experience dizziness, call your doctor. Please make sure to tell your doctor about any of the signs or symptoms mentioned below or about any unusual events that worry you.

Drinking less fluids than your doctor recommends or losing fluid due to diarrhea, sweating, or vomiting may cause low blood pressure, lightheadedness, or fainting. If fainting occurs, stop taking BiDil and contact your doctor immediately.

Lightheadedness may occur when standing, especially after sitting or lying down.

If you experience any achy and/or swollen joints, unexplained fever for more than a few days, skin rashes, chest pain, prolonged weakness or fatigue (even after a good night's sleep), or any other unexplained signs or symptoms, make sure to tell your doctor as they may be signs of a serious medical condition.

You may also experience rapid heartbeat that could lead to chest pain or aggravate chest pain, or numbness or tingling in the hands or feet.

Sorbitrate is a registered trademark of AstraZeneca LP; Isordil is a registered trademark of Bioavail Corporation; Viagra is a registered trademark and Revatio is a trademark of Pfizer Inc.; Levitra is a registered trademark of Bayer Healthcare, GlaxoSmithKline, and Schering-Plough; Cialis is a registered trademark of Lilly ICOS LLC. Tylenol is a registered trademark of McNeil Pharmaceuticals, a Division of McNeil PPC, Inc.

Please see full Prescribing Information for BiDil.