Hyzaar
Generic Name: hydrochlorothiazide and losartan (hye droe klor oh THYE a zide and loe SAR tan)
Brand Names: Hyzaar
What is hydrochlorothiazide and losartan?
Hydrochlorothiazide is a thiazide diuretic (water pill) that helps prevent your body from
absorbing too much salt, which can cause fluid retention.
Losartan is in a group of drugs called angiotensin II receptor antagonists. Losartan keeps
blood vessels from narrowing, which lowers blood pressure improves blood flow.
The combination of hydrochlorothiazide and losartan is used to treat high blood pressure
(hypertension) and to reduce the risk of stroke in people with hypertension.
Hydrochlorothiazide and losartan may also be used for purposes other than those listed in
this medication guide.
What is the most important information I should know about
hydrochlorothiazide and losartan?
Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are
pregnant. Hydrochlorothiazide and losartan may cause injury and even death to the unborn baby
if you take it during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy. Use an effective form of birth
control. Stop using this medication and tell your doctor right away if you become pregnant
during treatment.
Hydrochlorothiazide and losartan can cause side effects that may impair your
thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be awake and
alert.
Avoid drinking alcohol. It can lower your blood pressure and may increase some of
the side effects of hydrochlorothiazide and losartan.
What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking
hydrochlorothiazide and losartan?
Do not use this medication if you are allergic to hydrochlorothiazide (Carozide,
Diaqua, Ezide HCTZ, HydroDiuril, Microzide) or losartan (Cozaar), or if you:
Before using hydrochlorothiazide and losartan, tell your doctor if you
are allergic to any drugs, or if you have:
If you have any of these conditions, you may not be able to use
hydrochlorothiazide and losartan, or you may need a dosage adjustment or special tests during
treatment.
FDA pregnancy category D. This medication can cause harm to an unborn baby.
Hydrochlorothiazide and losartan may cause injury and even death to the unborn baby if you take
it during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy. Do not use hydrochlorothiazide and
losartan without your doctor's consent if you are pregnant. Use an effective form of birth
control. Stop using this medication and tell your doctor right away if you become pregnant
during treatment.
It is not known whether hydrochlorothiazide and losartan passes into breast milk. Do
not take this medication without first talking to your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.
How should I take hydrochlorothiazide and losartan?
Take this medication exactly as it was prescribed for you. Do not take the medication in
larger amounts, or take it for longer than recommended by your doctor. Follow the directions on
your prescription label.
Your doctor may occasionally change your dose to make sure you get the best results from
this medication.
Take this medication with a full glass (8 ounces) of water.
To be sure this medication is helping your condition, your blood pressure will need to be
checked on a regular basis. Your kidney function may also need to be tested. Do not miss any
scheduled visits to your doctor.
Hydrochlorothiazide can interfere with the results of a thyroid test. Tell any doctor who
treats you that you are using this medication.
If you are being treated for high blood pressure, keep using this medication even if you
feel fine. High blood pressure often has no symptoms.
Store hydrochlorothiazide and losartan at room temperature away from moisture and
heat.
What happens if I miss a dose?
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose,
skip the missed dose and take the medicine at the next regularly scheduled time. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.
What happens if I overdose?
Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this
medicine.
Symptoms of a hydrochlorothiazide and losartan overdose may include fast or slow
heartbeat, feeling light-headed, or fainting.
What should I avoid while taking hydrochlorothiazide and losartan?
Hydrochlorothiazide and losartan can cause side effects that may impair your
thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be awake and
alert.
Avoid drinking alcohol. It can lower your blood pressure and may increase some of
the side effects of hydrochlorothiazide and losartan.
Avoid becoming overheated or dehydrated during exercise and in hot weather. Follow
your doctor's instructions about the type and amount of liquids you should drink. In some cases,
drinking too much liquid can be as unsafe as not drinking enough.
Do not use potassium supplements or salt substitutes while you are taking
hydrochlorothiazide and losartan, unless your doctor has told you to.
Hydrochlorothiazide and losartan side effects
Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic
reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Stop using this medication and call your doctor at once if you have any of these
serious side effects:
-
feeling light-headed, fainting;
-
swelling, rapid weight gain;
-
fast or pounding heartbeats;
-
urinating more or less than usual, or not at all;
-
jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes); or
-
dry mouth, increased thirst, drowsiness, restless feeling,
confusion, nausea, vomiting, increased urination, muscle pain or weakness, fast heart rate,
feeling light-headed, fainting, or seizure (convulsions).
Continue using the medication and talk with your doctor if you have
any of these less serious side effects:
Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Talk to your
doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome.
What other drugs will affect hydrochlorothiazide and losartan?
Before taking hydrochlorothiazide and losartan, tell your doctor if you are using any of the
following drugs:
-
any other blood pressure medications;
-
steroids (prednisone and others);
-
lithium (Eskalith, Lithobid);
-
celecoxib (Celebrex), rofecoxib (Vioxx), or valdecoxib
(Bextra);
-
cholestyramine (Prevalite, Questran) or colestipol
(Colestid);
-
rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane, Rifater);
-
a barbiturate such as amobarbital (Amytal), butabarbital
(Butisol), mephobarbital (Mebaral), secobarbital (Seconal), or phenobarbital (Luminal,
Solfoton);
-
any other diuretics, such as amiloride (Midamor),
bumetanide (Bumex), chlorthalidone (Hygroton, Thalitone), ethacrynic acid (Edecrin),
furosemide (Lasix), hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ, HydroDiuril), indapamide (Lozol), metolazone
(Mykrox, Zarxolyn), spironolactone (Aldactone), triamterene (Dyrenium, Maxzide, Dyazide),
torsemide (Demadex), and others;
-
aspirin or other NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory
drugs) such as ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil), diclofenac (Voltaren), diflunisal (Dolobid), etodolac
(Lodine), flurbiprofen (Ansaid), indomethacin (Indocin), ketoprofen (Orudis), ketorolac
(Toradol), mefenamic acid (Ponstel), meloxicam (Mobic), nabumetone (Relafen), naproxen
(Aleve, Naprosyn), piroxicam (Feldene), and others;
-
a muscle relaxer such as baclofen (Lioresal), carisoprodol
(Soma), cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril), dantrolene (Dantrium), metaxalone (Skelaxin), or
methocarbamol (Robaxin), orphenadrine (Norflex), or tizanidine (Zanaflex);
-
a narcotic medication such as hydrocodone (Lortab,
Vicodin), hydromorphone (Dilaudid, Palladone), levorphanol (Levo-Dromoran), meperidine
(Demerol), methadone (Methadose), morphine (Kadian, MS Contin), oxycodone (OxyContin),
oxymorphone (Numorphan), or propoxyphene (Darvon, Darvocet).
If you are using any of these drugs, you may not be able to use
hydrochlorothiazide and losartan, or you may need dosage adjustments or special tests during
treatment.
There may be other drugs not listed that can affect hydrochlorothiazide and losartan. Tell
your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes
vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a
new medication without telling your doctor.
Where can I get more information?
-
Your pharmacist has information about hydrochlorothiazide and losartan written for
health professionals that you may read.
What does my medication look like?
Hydrochlorothiazide and losartan is available with a prescription under the brand name
Hyzaar. Other brand or generic formulations may also be available. Ask your pharmacist any
questions you have about this medication, especially if it is new to you.
-
Hyzaar, 50 mg of losartan and 12.5 mg of
hydrochlorothiazide--yellow, teardrop-shaped, film-coated tablets
-
Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share
your medicines with others and use this medication only for the indication prescribed.
- Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate,
up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum
information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not
warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does
not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist
licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not
a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or
drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any
given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information
Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug
interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse
or pharmacist.
Copyright 1996-2006 Cerner Multum, Inc. Version: 5.05. Revision Date: 8/31/06 12:11:56 PM.
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