Hyzaar

Generic Name: hydrochlorothiazide and losartan (HYE droe KLOR oh THYE a zide and loe SAR tan)
Brand Names: Hyzaar

What is Hyzaar?

Hyzaar contains a combination of 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 a angiotensin II receptor antagonist. Losartan keeps blood vessels from narrowing, which lowers blood pressure and improves blood flow.

Hyzaar is used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension). It is also used to lower the risk of stroke in certain people with heart disease.

Hyzaar may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide.

Important information about Hyzaar

Do not use Hyzaar if you are allergic to hydrochlorothiazide or losartan, or if you are unable to urinate. Do not use Hyzaar without telling your doctor if you are pregnant. 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.

Before using Hyzaar, tell your doctor if you have congestive heart failure, kidney or liver disease, asthma, low or high blood levels of potassium, gout, lupus, diabetes, or an allergy to sulfa drugs.

Hyzaar 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 Hyzaar.

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 Hyzaar, unless your doctor has told you to. In rare cases, Hyzaar 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.

Before taking Hyzaar

Do not use Hyzaar if you are allergic to hydrochlorothiazide or losartan, 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 Hyzaar:

• kidney disease;
• liver disease;

• congestive heart failure;

• asthma or allergies;

• low or high levels of potassium in your blood;

• gout;

• lupus;

• diabetes; or

• an allergy to sulfa drugs.

FDA pregnancy category D. Hyzaar can cause harm to an unborn baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are pregnant. 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 Hyzaar 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 Hyzaar without first talking to your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

See also: Pregnancy and breastfeeding in more detail

How should I take Hyzaar?

Take Hyzaar 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 Hyzaar 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 Hyzaar, which can lead to severely low blood pressure or a serious electrolyte imbalance.

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 appointments.

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

If you are being treated for high blood pressure, keep using Hyzaar even if you feel fine. High blood pressure often has no symptoms.

Store Hyzaar 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.

Overdose symptoms may include fast or slow heartbeat, feeling light-headed, or fainting.

What should I avoid while taking Hyzaar?

Hyzaar 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 Hyzaar.

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 Hyzaar, unless your doctor has told you to.

Hyzaar side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction to Hyzaar: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. In rare cases, Hyzaar 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. Stop using Hyzaar and call your doctor at once if you have a serious side effect such as:

• feeling light-headed, fainting;

• swelling, rapid weight gain;

• fast or pounding heartbeats;

• pale skin, easy bruising or bleeding;

• urinating less than usual, or not at all;

• 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 Hyzaar side effects may include:

• stomach pain;

• back pain;

• dizziness, tired feeling;

• skin rash;

• runny or stuffy nose, sore throat; 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.

See also: Hyzaar side effects in more detail

What other drugs will affect Hyzaar?

Before taking Hyzaar, 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);

• cholestyramine (Prevalite, Questran) or colestipol (Colestid);

• insulin or diabetes medications you take by mouth;

• rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane, Rifater);

• a barbiturate such as phenobarbital (Luminal, Solfoton) and others;

• any other diuretics, such as amiloride (Midamor), bumetanide (Bumex), furosemide (Lasix), hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ, HydroDiuril, Hyzaar, Lopressor HCT, Vasoretic, Zestoretic), spironolactone (Aldactone), torsemide (Demadex), and others;

• aspirin or other NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) such as ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil), diclofenac (Cataflam, Voltaren), etodolac (Lodine), indomethacin (Indocin), nabumetone (Relafen), naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn), meloxicam (Mobic), piroxicam (Feldene), and others;

• a muscle relaxer such as baclofen (Lioresal), carisoprodol (Soma), cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril), methocarbamol (Robaxin), tizanidine (Zanaflex), and others;

• narcotic pain medication such as codeine (Tylenol #3, Cheratuss, Guaiatuss AC), fentanyl (Actiq, Duragesic), hydrocodone (Lortab, Vicodin, Vicoprofen), hydromorphone (Dilaudid), methadone (Dolophine, Methadose), morphine (Avinza, Kadian, MS Contin, Oramorph), oxycodone (OxyContin, Endocet, Percocet), or propoxyphene (Darvocet, Propacet).

This list is not complete and there may be other drugs that can interact with Hyzaar. 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 can provide more information about Hyzaar.

• 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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Copyright 1996-2009 Cerner Multum, Inc. Version: 8.01. Revision Date: 10/08/2009 2:20:32 PM.