What is hydrochlorothiazide and candesartan?
Hydrochlorothiazide is a thiazide diuretic (water pill) that helps prevent your body from
absorbing too much salt, which can cause fluid retention.
Candesartan is in a group of drugs called angiotensin II receptor antagonists. Candesartan
keeps blood vessels from narrowing, which lowers blood pressure and improves blood flow.
The combination of candesartan and hydrochlorothiazide is used to treat high blood pressure
(hypertension).
Candesartan and hydrochlorothiazide may also be used for other purposes not listed in this
medication guide.
What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking hydrochlorothiazide and candesartan?
You should not use this medication if you are allergic to candesartan or hydrochlorothiazide
(Carozide, Diaqua, Ezide HCTZ, HydroDiuril, Microzide, and others), 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:
-
kidney disease;
-
liver disease;
-
congestive heart failure;
-
low or high levels of potassium in your blood;
-
asthma or allergies;
-
high cholesterol or triglyceride levels;
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gout;
-
lupus;
-
diabetes; or
-
an allergy to sulfa drugs.
FDA pregnancy category D. This medication can cause harm to an
unborn baby. Candesartan and hydrochlorothiazide 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 candesartan and
hydrochlorothiazide 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 candesartan and hydrochlorothiazide 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 candesartan?
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.
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.
Hydrochlorothiazide can interfere with the results of a thyroid test. Tell any doctor who treats
you that you are using this medication.
It may take up to 4 weeks for this medication to control your blood pressure. Keep using this
medication even if you feel fine. High blood pressure often has no symptoms.
If you need to have any type of surgery, tell the surgeon ahead of time that you are using
candesartan and hydrochlorothiazide. You may need to stop using the medicine for a short time.
Store candesartan and hydrochlorothiazide at room temperature away from moisture and
heat.
What happens if I miss a dose of hydrochlorothiazide and candesartan?
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.
Where can I get more information about hydrochlorothiazide and candesartan?
Your pharmacist has information about hydrochlorothiazide and candesartan written for health professionals that you may read.
What are the possible side effects of hydrochlorothiazide and candesartan?
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.
In rare cases, hydrochlorothiazide and candesartan can cause a condition that results in the
breakdown of skeletal muscle tissue, leading to kidney failure. Call your doctor right away if you have
muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness especially if you also have fever, nausea or vomiting, and dark
colored urine.
Call your doctor at once if you have any other serious side effect, such as:
-
feeling like you might pass out;
-
chest pain, feeling short of breath, even with mild exertion;
-
fever;
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swelling, rapid weight gain;
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urinating more or less than usual, or not at all;
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jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes); or
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dry mouth, increased thirst, drowsiness, restless feeling,
confusion, increased urination, fast heart rate, feeling light-headed, fainting, or seizure
(convulsions).
Less serious side effects may include:
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. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
What is the most important information I should know about hydrochlorothiazide and candesartan?
Do not
use this medication without telling your doctor if you are pregnant.
Candesartan and hydrochlorothiazide 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.
Candesartan and hydrochlorothiazide 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 candesartan and hydrochlorothiazide.
In rare cases, hydrochlorothiazide and candesartan can cause a condition that results in the
breakdown of skeletal muscle tissue, leading to kidney failure. Call your doctor right away if you have
muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness especially if you also have fever, nausea or vomiting, and dark
colored urine.
What should I avoid while taking hydrochlorothiazide and candesartan?
Candesartan and hydrochlorothiazide 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 candesartan and hydrochlorothiazide.
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 candesartan and
hydrochlorothiazide, unless your doctor has told you to.
What other drugs will affect hydrochlorothiazide and candesartan?
Before taking candesartan and hydrochlorothiazide, tell your doctor if you are using any of the
following drugs:
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any other blood pressure medications;
-
steroids (prednisone and others);
-
lithium (Eskalith, Lithobid);
-
cholestyramine (Prevalite, Questran) or colestipol
(Colestid);
-
insulin or diabetes medicine you take by mouth;
-
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), 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); or
-
a narcotic medication such as hydrocodone (Lortab,
Vicodin), meperidine (Demerol), methadone (Methadose), oxycodone (OxyContin),
propoxyphene (Darvon, Darvocet), and others.
This list is not complete and there may be other drugs that can interact with
candesartan and hydrochlorothiazide. 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 hydrochlorothiazide and candesartan?
