What is amlodipine, hydrochlorothiazide, and valsartan?
Amlodipine is in a group of drugs called calcium channel blockers. Amlodipine relaxes (widens)
blood vessels and improves blood flow.
Hydrochlorothiazide is a thiazide diuretic (water pill) that helps prevent your body from
absorbing too much salt, which can cause fluid retention.
Valsartan is in a group of drugs called angiotensin II receptor antagonists. Valsartan keeps
blood vessels from narrowing, which lowers blood pressure and improves blood flow.
The combination of amlodipine, hydrochlorothiazide, and valsartan is used to treat high blood
pressure (hypertension).
This medication is usually given after other blood pressure medications have been tried without
successful treatment of symptoms.
Amlodipine, hydrochlorothiazide, and valsartan may also be used for other purposes not listed
in this medication guide.
What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking amlodipine, hydrochlorothiazide, and valsartan?
You should not take this medication if you are allergic to amlodipine (Norvasc),
hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ, HydroDiuril, Hyzaar, Vaseretic, Zestoretic and others), valsartan
(Diovan), or sulfa drugs, or if you are unable to urinate.
If you have any of these other conditions, you may need a dose adjustment or special tests to
safely take this medication:
FDA pregnancy category D. This medication can cause harm to an
unborn baby.
Do not
use this medication without telling your doctor if you are
pregnant. Amlodipine, hydrochlorothiazide, and valsartan 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 can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. Do not use
this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.
How should I take amlodipine, hydrochlorothiazide, and valsartan?
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.
Call your doctor if you have ongoing vomiting or diarrhea, or if you are sweating more than
usual. You can easily become dehydrated while taking this medication, which can lead to severely low
blood pressure or a serious electrolyte imbalance.
Your chest pain may become worse when you first start taking this medication or when
your dose is increased. Call your doctor if your chest pain is severe or ongoing.
To be sure this medication is helping your condition, your blood pressure will need to be
checked on a regular basis. Do not miss any scheduled appointments.
It may take up to 2 weeks of using this medicine before your blood pressure improves. For
best results, keep using the medication as directed.
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, so you may not know when your blood pressure is high.
You may need to use blood pressure medication for the rest of your life.
Store this medication at room temperature away from moisture and heat.
What happens if I miss a dose of amlodipine, hydrochlorothiazide, and valsartan?
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, wait
until then to take the medicine and skip the missed dose.
Do not
take extra medicine
to make up the missed dose.
Where can I get more information about amlodipine, hydrochlorothiazide, and valsartan?
Your pharmacist has information about amlodipine, hydrochlorothiazide, and valsartan written for health professionals that you may read.
What are the possible side effects of amlodipine, hydrochlorothiazide, and valsartan?
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.
Call your doctor at once if you have a serious side effect such as:
-
feeling like you might pass out;
-
swelling, rapid weight gain;
-
chest pain or heavy feeling, pain spreading to the arm or
shoulder, nausea, sweating, general ill feeling;
-
slow, fast, or pounding heartbeats;
-
urinating less than usual, or not at all;
-
easy bruising or bleeding, unusual weakness;
-
numbness, burning, pain, or tingly feeling; or
-
jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes); or
-
dry mouth, increased thirst, drowsiness, restless feeling,
confusion, increased urination, fast heart rate, fainting, or seizure (convulsions).
Less serious side effects may include:
-
dizziness;
-
headache, tired feeling;
-
nausea, upset stomach;
-
muscle spasms, back pain; or
-
stuffy nose, sore throat.
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your
doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at
1-800-FDA-1088.
What is the most important information I should know about amlodipine, hydrochlorothiazide, and valsartan?
Your chest pain may become worse when you first start taking this medication or when
your dose is increased. Call your doctor if your chest pain is severe or ongoing.
You should not take this medication if you are allergic to amlodipine (Norvasc),
hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ, HydroDiuril, Hyzaar, Vaseretic, Zestoretic and others), valsartan
(Diovan), or sulfa drugs, or if you are unable to urinate.
Before taking amlodipine, hydrochlorothiazide, and valsartan, tell your doctor if you have
kidney or liver disease, congestive heart failure, asthma or allergies, low or high blood levels of
potassium, gout, lupus, or diabetes.
Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are pregnant.
Amlodipine, hydrochlorothiazide, and valsartan 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.
Avoid drinking alcohol. It can lower your blood pressure and may increase some of the
side effects of amlodipine, hydrochlorothiazide, and valsartan.
Do not use potassium supplements or salt substitutes while you are taking amlodipine,
hydrochlorothiazide, and valsartan, unless your doctor has told you to.
What should I avoid while taking amlodipine, hydrochlorothiazide, and valsartan?
Avoid drinking alcohol. It can lower your blood pressure and may increase some of the
side effects of amlodipine, hydrochlorothiazide, and valsartan.
Do not use potassium supplements or salt substitutes while you are taking amlodipine,
hydrochlorothiazide, and valsartan, unless your doctor has told you to.
Avoid getting up too fast from a sitting or lying position, or you may feel dizzy. Get up slowly
and steady yourself to prevent a fall.
What other drugs will affect amlodipine, hydrochlorothiazide, and valsartan?
Tell your doctor about all other medications you use, especially:
-
any other blood pressure medications;
-
steroids (prednisone and others);
-
carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Tegretol);
-
lithium (Eskalith, Lithobid);
-
cholestyramine (Prevalite, Questran) or colestipol
(Colestid);
-
insulin or diabetes medications you take by mouth;
-
a barbiturate such as amobarbital (Amytal), butabarbital
(Butisol), mephobarbital (Mebaral), secobarbital (Seconal), or phenobarbital (Luminal,
Solfoton);
-
any other diuretics (water pills);
-
aspirin or other NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory
drugs) such as ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil), diclofenac (Voltaren), etodolac (Lodine), indomethacin
(Indocin), ketoprofen (Orudis), naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn), 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), meperidine (Demerol), methadone (Methadose), morphine (Kadian, MS Contin),
oxycodone (OxyContin), and others.
This list is not complete and there may be other drugs that can interact with
amlodipine, hydrochlorothiazide, and valsartan. 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.
What happens if I have an overdose of amlodipine, hydrochlorothiazide, and valsartan?
