spironolactone

What is the most important information I should know about spironolactone?

You should not use spironolactone if you are allergic to it, or if you have kidney disease, high levels of potassium in your blood, or if you are unable to urinate. Do not use potassium supplements or other diuretics while you are taking spironolactone.

Before using this medication, tell your doctor if you have liver disease, or if you use a steroid or another diuretic.

Drinking alcohol can increase certain side effects of spironolactone.

Avoid a diet high in salt. Too much salt will cause your body to retain water and can make this medication less effective.

Do not use salt substitutes or low-sodium milk products that contain potassium. These products could cause your potassium levels to get too high while you are taking spironolactone.

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.

If you are being treated for high blood pressure, keep using this medication even if you feel well. High blood pressure often has no symptoms. You may need to use blood pressure medication for the rest of your life.

What is spironolactone?

Spironolactone is a potassium-sparing diuretic (water pill) that prevents your body from absorbing too much salt and keeps your potassium levels from getting too low.

Spironolactone is used to diagnose or treat a condition in which you have too much aldosterone in your body. Aldosterone is a hormone produced by your adrenal glands to help regulate the salt and water balance in your body.

Spironolactone also treats fluid retention (edema) in people with congestive heart failure, cirrhosis of the liver, or a kidney disorder called nephrotic syndrome. This medication is also used to treat or prevent hypokalemia (low potassium levels in the blood).

Spironolactone may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

What should I discuss with my doctor before taking spironolactone?

You should not use spironolactone if you are allergic to it, or if you have:

• kidney disease, or if you are unable to urinate;
• high levels of potassium in your blood (hyperkalemia); or
• if you are taking potassium supplements or other potassium-sparing diuretics such as Aldactazide, amiloride (Midamor, Moduretic), or triamterene (Dyrenium, Dyazide, Maxzide).

To make sure you can safely take spironolactone, tell your doctor if you have any of these other conditions:

• heart disease;
• liver disease; or
• if you are using a steroid, or another diuretic.

FDA pregnancy category C. It is not known whether spironolactone will harm an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant while using this medication.

Spironolactone passes into breast milk and could cause harm to a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

How should I take spironolactone?

Take exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Do not take in larger or smaller amounts or for longer than recommended. Follow the directions on your prescription label.

Take each dose with a full glass of water.

To be sure this medicine is not causing harmful effects, your blood will need to be tested often. Visit your doctor regularly.

This medication can cause unusual results with certain medical tests. Tell any doctor who treats you that you are using spironolactone.

If you need surgery, tell the surgeon ahead of time that you are using spironolactone. You may need to stop using the medicine for a short time.

If you are being treated for high blood pressure, keep using this medication even if you feel well. High blood pressure often has no symptoms. You may need to use blood pressure medication for the rest of your life.

Store at room temperature away from heat, light, and moisture.

What happens if I miss a dose?

Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. Skip the missed dose if it is almost time for your next scheduled dose. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

What happens if I overdose?

Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.

Overdose symptoms may include drowsiness, confusion, red skin rash, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.

What should I avoid while taking spironolactone?

Drinking alcohol can increase certain side effects of spironolactone.

Do not use salt substitutes or low-sodium milk products that contain potassium. These products could cause your potassium levels to get too high while you are taking spironolactone.

Avoid a diet high in salt. Too much salt will cause your body to retain water and can make this medication less effective.

Spironolactone may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be alert.

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.

What are the possible side effects of spironolactone?

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 spironolactone and call your doctor at once if you have a serious side effect such as:

• numbness or tingly feeling;
• muscle pain or weakness;
• slow, fast, or uneven heart rate;
• feeling drowsy, restless, or light-headed;
• urinating less than usual or not at all;
• shallow breathing;
• tremors, confusion;
• nausea, upper stomach pain, itching, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes); or
• severe skin reaction -- fever, sore throat, swelling in your face or tongue, burning in your eyes, skin pain, followed by a red or purple skin rash that spreads (especially in the face or upper body) and causes blistering and peeling.

Less serious side effects may include:

• mild nausea or vomiting;
• dizziness, headache;
• gas, stomach pain; or
• skin rash.

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 other drugs will affect spironolactone?

Before using spironolactone, tell your doctor if you regularly use other medicines that make you sleepy (such as cold or allergy medicine, sedatives, narcotic pain medicine, sleeping pills, muscle relaxers, and medicine for seizures, depression, or anxiety). They can add to sleepiness caused by spironolactone.

Tell your doctor about all other medicines you use, especially:

• lithium (Eskalith, Lithobid);
• digoxin (digitalis, Lanoxin);
• steroids such as prednisone, fluticasone (Advair), mometasone (Asmanex, Nasonex), dexamethasone (Decadron, Hexadrol) and others;
• an ACE inhibitor such as benazepril (Lotensin), captopril (Capoten), fosinopril (Monopril), enalapril (Vasotec), lisinopril (Prinivil, Zestril), moexipril (Univasc), perindopril (Aceon), quinapril (Accupril), ramipril (Altace), or trandolapril (Mavik); or
• an NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug) such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn, Naprelan, Treximet), celecoxib (Celebrex), diclofenac (Arthrotec, Cambia, Cataflam, Voltaren, Flector Patch, Pennsaid, Solareze), indomethacin (Indocin), meloxicam (Mobic), and others.

This list is not complete and other drugs may interact with spironolactone. Tell your doctor about all medications you use. This includes prescription, over-the-counter, vitamin, and herbal products. Do not start a new medication without telling your doctor.

Where can I get more information?

Your pharmacist can provide more information about spironolactone.