Your Side Effects May IncludeClonidine (Catapres) side effects
This side effect is printed on the FDA label for Clonidine. It was a question in our daily quiz, where you pick the real side effect from four choices.
A blood pressure spike if you stop suddenly
It lowers blood pressure, but stopping it abruptly can send pressure back up fast.
From the FDA label
“Sudden cessation of clonidine treatment has, in some cases, resulted in symptoms such as nervousness, agitation, headache, and tremor accompanied or followed by a rapid rise in blood pressure”
Clonidine label, updated Sep 9, 2026 ·
Read the full label on DailyMed
What to watch for
Don't stop it on your own. Your doctor will lower the dose gradually.
64 reports to the FDA's adverse event system mention rebound high blood pressure. A report is not proof the drug caused it. See the query
From quiz No. 11 · October 5, 2026 · Play that quiz →
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Not medical advice. Don't stop or start a medication because of a quiz. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist. Label text and report counts from openFDA. Not affiliated with any drug maker.