Valsartan/hydrochlorothiazide (By mouth)

Introduction

Hydrochlorothiazide (hye-droe-klor-oh-THYE-a-zide), Valsartan (val-SAR-tan)

Used alone or together with other medicines to treat high blood pressure. Lowering blood pressure reduces the risk of strokes and heart attacks. This medicine is a combination of an angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) and a diuretic ("water pill").

Brand Name(s)

Diovan HCT

When This Medicine Should Not Be Used

How to Store and Dispose of This Medicine

• Store the medicine in a closed container at room temperature, away from heat, moisture, and direct light.
• Ask your pharmacist, doctor, or health caregiver about the best way to dispose of any outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed.
• Keep all medicine away from children and never share your medicine with anyone.

Warnings While Using This Medicine

• Using this medicine while you are pregnant (especially in your second or third trimester) can harm your unborn baby. Use an effective form of birth control to keep from getting pregnant. If you think you have become pregnant while using this medicine, tell your doctor right away.
• Make sure your doctor knows if you are breastfeeding, or if you have kidney disease, liver disease (including cirrhosis), diabetes, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE or lupus), congestive heart failure, gout, asthma, or high cholesterol. Tell your doctor if you have an electrolyte imbalance (such as high or low calcium, potassium, magnesium, or sodium in the blood), or if you are dehydrated or experiencing diarrhea or vomiting, or if you have a history of gallbladder stones.
• This medicine will not cure your high blood pressure, but it does help control it. You must continue to take it as directed if you expect to lower your blood pressure and keep it down. You may have to take high blood pressure medicine for the rest of your life.
• This medicine may make you feel lightheaded, dizzy, or faint, especially when you get up from a lying or sitting position suddenly. Getting up slowly may help. These symptoms are more likely to occur when you begin taking this medicine, or when the dose is increased.
• Check with your doctor right away if you become sick while taking this medicine, especially with severe or continuing nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. These conditions may cause you to lose too much water or salt which may cause low blood pressure.
• Check with your doctor right away if you experience dizziness, fainting, confusion, muscle pain, weakness, and/or a fast heartbeat. Use extra care if you exercise or if the weather is hot. Heavy sweating can cause dehydration (loss of too much water) or electrolyte imbalances (loss of potassium, magnesium, or sodium in the body).
• Stop using this medicine and check with your doctor immediately if blurred vision, difficulty in reading, eye pain, or any other change in vision occurs during or after treatment. This could be a sign of a serious eye problem. Your doctor will want you to have your eyes checked by an ophthalmologist (eye doctor).
• This medicine may affect blood sugar levels. If you notice a change in the results of your blood or urine sugar tests, or if you have any questions, check with your doctor.
• This medicine may cause an allergic reaction. Stop using this medicine and call your doctor right away if you or your child have a rash, itching, hives, hoarseness, trouble with breathing, trouble with swallowing, or any swelling of your hands, face, or mouth while you are using this medicine.
• Your doctor will need to check your blood or urine at regular visits while you are using this medicine. Be sure to keep all appointments.
• Make sure any doctor or dentist who treats you knows that you are using this medicine. This medicine may affect the results of certain medical tests.

Possible Side Effects While Using This Medicine

Call your doctor right away if you notice any of these side effects:

• Allergic reaction: Itching or hives, swelling in your face or hands, swelling or tingling in your mouth or throat, chest tightness, trouble breathing
• Blistering, peeling, or red skin rash.
• Blurred vision and eye pain.
• Chest pain.
• Confusion, body weakness, and muscle twitching.
• Dry mouth, increased thirst, muscle cramps, nausea, or vomiting.
• Fast, slow, uneven, or pounding heartbeat.
• Fever, chills, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, and body aches.
• Increase in how much or how often you urinate.
• Lightheadedness, dizziness, or fainting.
• Swelling in your hands, ankles, or feet.
• Unusual bleeding, bruising, or weakness.

If you notice these less serious side effects, talk with your doctor:

• Back pain.
• Dizziness, restlessness, tired feeling, or trouble sleeping.
• Headache, problems with vision.
• Increased sweating.
• Mild nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, diarrhea, constipation, or stomach upset.
• Ringing in your ears.

If you notice other side effects that you think are caused by this medicine, tell your doctor

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088

How to Use This Medicine

Tablet

• Your doctor will tell you how much of this medicine to use and how often. Your dose may need to be changed several times in order to find out what works best for you. Do not use more medicine or use it more often than your doctor tells you to.
• You may take this medicine with or without food.
• Be sure to drink plenty of fluids if you exercise, sweat more than usual, or have diarrhea or vomiting while you are using this medicine.

If a dose is missed:

• If you miss a dose or forget to use your medicine, use it as soon as you can. If it is almost time for your next dose, wait until then to use the medicine and skip the missed dose. Do not use extra medicine to make up for a missed dose.

Drugs and Foods to Avoid

Ask your doctor or pharmacist before using any other medicine, including over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products.

• Make sure your doctor knows if you are also using other blood pressure medicines, including a diuretic or "water pill" such as furosemide, torsemide, spironolactone, triamterene, Aldactone®, Demadex®, Lasix®, or Maxide®.
• Make sure your doctor knows if you are also using lithium (Eskalith®, Lithobid®), norepinephrine, pain or arthritis medicine called "NSAIDs" (such as aspirin, ibuprofen, Advil®, Aleve®, Celebrex®, or Motrin®), insulin or an oral diabetes medicine (such as glyburide, metformin, Actos®, Avandia®, Glucophage®, Glucotrol®, or Glucovance®), medicine to lower cholesterol (such as cholestyramine, colesevelam, colestipol, Colestid®, or Questran®), a steroid medicine (such as dexamethasone, prednisolone, prednisone, or Medrol®), muscle relaxants (such as tubocurarine), or medicine to treat seizures (such as carbamazepine or Tegretol®).
• Do not use potassium tablets or salt substitutes that contain potassium, unless your doctor tells you to.
• Drinking alcohol or taking narcotic pain relievers or sleeping pills with this medicine may intensify feeling lightheaded, dizzy, or faint. Tell your doctor if you are drinking alcohol or using pain relievers or sleeping pills.