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Hyzaar
Generic Name: Losartan and hydrochlorothiazide
Brand Name: Hyzaar
Indications
Hyzaar is indicated for the treatment of hypertension.
Dosage and Administration
Hyzaar is available for oral administration in three tablet combinations of losartan and hydrochlorothiazide. Hyzaar 50-12.5 contains 50 mg of losartan potassium and 12.5 mg of hydrochlorothiazide. Hyzaar 100-12.5 contains 100 mg of losartan potassium and 12.5 mg of hydrochlorothiazide. Hyzaar 100-25 contains 100 mg of losartan potassium and 25 mg of hydrochlorothiazide.
Normal Dosage:
Dosing must be individualized. The usual starting dose of losartan is 50 mg once daily. Losartan can be administered once or twice daily at total daily doses of 25 to 100 mg. Hydrochlorothiazide is effective in doses of 12.5 to 50 mg once daily and can be given at doses of 12.5 to 25 mg as Hyzaar.
Drug Description
Losartan potassium, a non-peptide molecule, is chemically described as 2-butyl-4-chloro-1-[p-(o-1H- tetrazol-5-ylphenyl)benzyl]imidazole-5-methanol monopotassium salt. Its empirical formula is C22H22ClKN6O, and its structural formula is:
Losartan potassium is a white to off-white free-flowing crystalline powder with a molecular weight of 461.01. It is freely soluble in water, soluble in alcohols, and slightly soluble in common organic solvents, such as acetonitrile and methyl ethyl ketone.
Oxidation of the 5-hydroxymethyl group on the imidazole ring results in the active metabolite of losartan.
Hydrochlorothiazide is 6-chloro-3,4-dihydro-2H-1,2,4-benzothiadiazine-7-sulfonamide 1,1-dioxide. Its empirical formula is C7H8ClN3O4S2 and its structural formula is:
Hydrochlorothiazide is a white, or practically white, crystalline powder with a molecular weight of 297.74, which is slightly soluble in water, but freely soluble in sodium hydroxide solution.
Side effects
The following are some of the side effects that are known to be associated with this medicine. Because a side effect is stated here, it does not mean that all people using this medicine will experience that or any side effect.
- Dizziness
- Weakness or loss of strength (asthenia)
- Fatigue
- Balance problems involving the inner ear (vertigo)
- Low blood pressure (hypotension)
- High blood potassium level (hyperkalaemia)
- Diarrhoea
- Low red blood cell count (anaemia) or platelet count (thrombocytopenia)
- Inflammation of the liver (hepatitis)
- Alteration in results of liver function tests
- Migraine
- Pain in the muscles and joints
- Rash or itching
- Cough
- Severe swelling of lips, face or tongue (angioedema)
Precautions
- Use caution when driving, operating machinery, or performing other hazardous activities.
- Use alcohol cautiously. Alcohol may further lower blood pressure and increase dizziness during treatment.
- Avoid a diet high in salt. Too much salt may cause your body to retain water and may decrease the effects of this drug.
- Do not use salt substitutes or take potassium supplements without first talking to your doctor. Losartan can affect potassium levels in your body.
- Avoid prolonged exposure to sunlight. This medication may increase the sensitivity of your skin to sunlight. Use a sunscreen and wear protective clothing when exposure to the sun is unavoidable.
- This medication is in the FDA pregnancy category D. This means that it is known to affect the foetus.
Drug Interactions
Before taking this medication, inform your doctor if you are taking:
- steroids (prednisone and others).
- lithium (Eskalith, Lithobid).
- celecoxib (Celebrex) or valdecoxib (Bextra).
- cholestyramine (Prevalite, Questran) or colestipol (Colestid).
- rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane, Rifater).
- 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), diclofenac (Voltaren), diflunisal (Dolobid), etodolac (Lodine), flurbiprofen (Ansaid), indomethacin (Indocin), ketoprofen (Orudis), ketorolac (Toradol), mefenamic acid (Ponstel), meloxicam (Mobic), nabumetone (Relafen), naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn), piroxicam (Feldene), 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);
- a narcotic medication such as hydrocodone (Lortab, Vicodin), hydromorphone (Dilaudid, Palladone), levorphanol (Levo-Dromoran), meperidine (Demerol).
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