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hydrochlorothiazide and aliskiren

Pronunciation: HYE droe KLOR oh THYE a zide and a LIS ke rin
Brand: Tekturna HCT

What is the most important information I should know about hydrochlorothiazide and aliskiren?

donot You should not use this medication if you are allergic to aliskiren or hydrochlorothiazide, if you are unable to urinate, or if you are also using itraconazole (Sporanox) or cyclosporine (Gengraf, Neoral, Sandimmune).
nopreg FDA pregnancy category D. Do not use hydrochlorothiazide and aliskiren if you are pregnant. Stop using this medication and tell your doctor right away if you become pregnant.

Before you take hydrochlorothiazide and aliskiren, tell your doctor if you have asthma, low or high levels of potassium in your blood, kidney or liver disease, glaucoma, gout, lupus, diabetes, or an allergy to sulfa drugs or penicillin.

donot Do not use potassium supplements or salt substitutes while you are taking hydrochlorothiazide and aliskiren, unless your doctor has told you to.
finish It may take up to 4 weeks for this medication to control your blood pressure. Keep using this medicine as directed, 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 hydrochlorothiazide and aliskiren?

Hydrochlorothiazide is a thiazide diuretic (water pill) that helps prevent your body from absorbing too much salt, which can cause fluid retention.

Aliskiren is an anti-hypertensive (blood pressure lowering) medication. It works by decreasing substances in the body that narrow blood vessels and raise blood pressure.

The combination of hydrochlorothiazide and aliskiren is used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension).

Hydrochlorothiazide and aliskiren may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking hydrochlorothiazide and aliskiren?

donot You should not use this medication if:
  • you are allergic to aliskiren (Tekturna) or hydrochlorothiazide (Carozide, Diaqua, Ezide HCTZ, HydroDiuril, Microzide, and others);
  • you are unable to urinate; or
  • you are also using itraconazole (Sporanox) or cyclosporine (Gengraf, Neoral, Sandimmune).

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

  • asthma;
  • low or high levels of potassium in your blood;
  • kidney disease;
  • glaucoma;
  • liver disease;
  • gout;
  • systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE);
  • diabetes; or
  • an allergy to sulfa drugs or penicillin.
nopreg FDA pregnancy category D. Do not use hydrochlorothiazide and aliskiren if you are pregnant. Stop using this medication and tell your doctor right away if you become pregnant. Hydrochlorothiazide and aliskiren can cause injury or death to the unborn baby if you take the medicine during your second or third trimester. Use effective birth control while taking hydrochlorothiazide and aliskiren.
nobrfeed It is not known whether hydrochlorothiazide and aliskiren passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. You should not breast-feed while you are using hydrochlorothiazide and aliskiren.
nochild Do not give this medication to anyone under 18 years old without medical advice.

How should I take hydrochlorothiazide and aliskiren?

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.

Your doctor may occasionally change your dose to make sure you get the best results.

You may take this medication with or without food, but take it the same way every time.

donot Conditions that may cause very low blood pressure include: vomiting, diarrhea, heavy sweating, heart disease, dialysis, a low salt diet, or taking diuretics (water pills). Tell your doctor if you have a prolonged illness that causes diarrhea or vomiting.

Your blood pressure will need to be checked often. Visit your doctor regularly.

finish It may take up to 4 weeks for this medication to control your blood pressure. Keep using this medicine as directed, 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.

High blood pressure is sometimes treated with a combination of drugs. Use all medications as directed by your doctor. Read the medication guide or patient instructions provided with each medication. Do not change your doses or medication schedule without your doctor's advice.

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

Hydrochlorothiazide can interfere with the results of a thyroid test. Tell any doctor who treats you that you are using this medication.

rt Store at room temperature away from moisture and heat.

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?

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

Overdose symptoms may include 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).

What should I avoid while taking hydrochlorothiazide and aliskiren?

Avoid taking this medication with a high-fat meal, which can make it harder for your body to absorb hydrochlorothiazide and aliskiren.

donot Do not use potassium supplements or salt substitutes while you are taking hydrochlorothiazide and aliskiren, 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.

noalcohol Drinking alcohol can further lower your blood pressure and may increase certain side effects of hydrochlorothiazide and aliskiren.

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 hydrochlorothiazide and aliskiren?

emt 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.
donot Stop using hydrochlorothiazide and aliskiren and call your doctor at once if you have a serious side effect such as:
  • eye pain, vision problems;
  • feeling like you might pass out;
  • high potassium (slow heart rate, weak pulse, muscle weakness, tingly feeling);
  • low potassium (confusion, uneven heart rate, extreme thirst, increased urination, leg discomfort, muscle weakness or limp feeling);
  • urinating less than usual, or not at all;
  • joint pain or swelling with fever, swollen glands, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting, chest pain, unusual thoughts or behavior, and/or seizure (convulsions); 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:

  • dizziness, spinning sensation;
  • diarrhea, stomach pain, indigestion;
  • tired feeling;
  • flu symptoms; or
  • dry cough.

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 hydrochlorothiazide and aliskiren?

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

  • lithium (Eskalith, Lithobid);
  • a blood thinner such as warfarin (Coumadin, Jantoven);
  • aspirin or other NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) 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;
  • a barbiturate such as amobarbital (Amytal), butabarbital (Butisol), mephobarbital (Mebaral), secobarbital (Seconal), or phenobarbital (Luminal, Solfoton);
  • cholesterol medication such as atorvastatin (Lipitor), cholestyramine (Prevalite, Questran) or colestipol (Colestid);
  • insulin or diabetes medicine you take by mouth; or
  • steroid medication such as prednisone (Deltasone, Sterapred), methylprednisolone (Medrol), fluticasone (Advair , Flonase, Flovent, Veramyst), beclomethasone (Qvar), budesonide (Pulmicort, Rhinocort, Symbicort), dexamethasone (Cortastat, Dexasone, Solurex, DexPak), mometasone (Asmanex, Nasonex), triamcinolone (Nasacort), and others.

This list is not complete and other drugs may interact with hydrochlorothiazide and aliskiren. 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 hydrochlorothiazide and aliskiren.

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.

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