Drug Name

Hyzaar (Losartan/Hydrochlorothiazide)

Drug Uses

Hyzaar is used for treating high blood pressure and decreases the risk of stroke.

How Taken

Use Hyzaar as directed by your doctor.

Take Hyzaar by mouth with or without food.

Drinking extra fluids while you are taking Hyzaar is recommended. Check with your doctor for instructions.

Hyzaar may increase the amount of urine or cause you to urinate more often when you first start taking it. To keep this from disturbing your sleep, try to take your dose before 6 pm.

If you take cholestyramine or colestipol, ask your doctor or pharmacist how to take it with Hyzaar.

Continue to use Hyzaar even if you feel well. Do not miss any doses.

Ask your health care provider any questions you may have about how to use Hyzaar.

Drug Class and Mechanism

Hyzaar is a combination angiotensin II receptor blocker and diuretic. The angiotensin II receptor blocker works by relaxing the blood vessels. Exactly how the diuretic works to decrease blood pressure is unknown, but it helps the kidneys to eliminate fluid and sodium from the body.

Missed Dose

If you miss a dose of Hyzaar, take it as soon as possible. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not take 2 doses at once.

Storage

Store Hyzaar at 77 degrees F (25 degrees C). Brief storage at temperatures between 59 and 86 degrees F (15 and 30 degrees C) is permitted. Store away from heat, moisture, and light. Do not store in the bathroom. Keep Hyzaar out of the reach of children and away from pets.

Warnings/Precautions

Do not use Hyzaar if:

• you are allergic to any ingredient in Hyzaar or to any other sulfonamide medicine (eg, sulfamethoxazole);
• you are pregnant;
• you have severe liver or kidney problems or are unable to urinate;
• you are taking dofetilide or ketanserin.

Contact your doctor or health care provider right away if any of these apply to you.

Important:

Do not drive or perform other possibly unsafe tasks until you know how you react to it.

Report any lightheadedness or fainting to your doctor immediately. Your risk of lightheadedness or fainting may be increased if you experience diarrhea, vomiting, excessive sweating, if you do not drink enough fluids, or if you are on a low-salt diet.

Patients who take medicine for high blood pressure often feel tired or run down for a few weeks after starting treatment. Be sure to take your medicine even if you may not feel normal. Tell your doctor if you develop any new symptoms.

Hyzaar may cause you to become sunburned more easily. Avoid the sun, sunlamps, or tanning booths until you know how you react to Hyzaar. Use a sunscreen or wear protective clothing if you must be outside for more than a short time.

Tell your doctor or dentist that you take Hyzaar before you receive any medical or dental care, emergency care, or surgery.

If you have high blood pressure, do not use nonprescription products that contain stimulants. These products may include diet pills or cold medicines. Contact your doctor if you have any questions or concerns.

Your doctor may have also prescribed a potassium supplement for you. If so, follow the dosing carefully. Do not start taking additional potassium on your own or change your diet to include more potassium without first checking with your doctor.

Diabetes patients - Hyzaar may affect your blood sugar. Check blood sugar levels closely. Ask your doctor before you change the dose of your diabetes medicine.

Hyzaar may raise your blood sugar. High blood sugar may make you feel confused, drowsy, or thirsty. It can also make you flush, breathe faster, or have a fruit-like breath odor. If these symptoms occur, tell your doctor right away.

Hyzaar has not been shown to reduce the risk of stroke or certain heart problems in black patients who have high blood pressure.

Hyzaar may interfere with certain lab tests, including parathyroid function tests. Be sure your doctor and lab personnel know you are taking Hyzaar.

Lab tests, including kidney function, blood pressure, and blood electrolytes, may be performed while you use Hyzaar. These tests may be used to monitor your condition or check for side effects. Be sure to keep all doctor and lab appointments.

Hyzaar should be used with extreme caution in children; safety and effectiveness in children have not been confirmed.

Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Hyzaar may cause birth defects or fetal death if you take it while you are pregnant. If you think you may be pregnant, contact your doctor right away. Hyzaar is found in breast milk. Do not breast-feed while taking Hyzaar.

Possible Side Effects

Check with your doctor if any of these most common side effects persist or become bothersome:

• back pain;
• diarrhea;
• dizziness;
• lightheadedness, especially when sitting up or standing;
• nausea;
• numbness or tingling of the skin;
• tiredness.

Seek medical attention right away if any of these severe side effects occur:

• severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue);
• chest pain;
• confusion;
• decrease in sexual ability;
• decreased urination;
• depression;
• drowsiness;
• fainting;
• fast or irregular heartbeat;
• fever, chills, or persistent sore throat;
• hoarseness;
• muscle pain, tenderness, or cramps;
• red, swollen, blistered, or peeling skin;
• restlessness; seizures;
• severe or persistent dry mouth;
• shortness of breath;
• swelling of the arms or legs;
• unusual bruising or bleeding;
• unusual thirst;
• unusual tiredness or weakness;
• vomiting;
• yellowing of the skin or eyes.

More Information

Hyzaar is to be used only by the patient for whom it is prescribed. Do not share it with other people.

If your symptoms do not improve or if they become worse, check with your doctor.

What is the shelf life of the pills?

• The expiry date is mentioned on each blister. It is different for different batches. The shelf life is 2 years from the date of manufacture and would differ from batch to batch depending on when they were manufactured.

Other Useful Information:

Calcium: A mineral found mainly in the hard part of bones, where it is stored. Calcium is added to bones by cells called osteoblasts and is removed from bones by cells called osteoclasts. Calcium is essential for healthy bones. It is also important for muscle contraction, heart action, nervous system maintenance, and normal blood clotting. Food sources of calcium include dairy foods, some leafy green vegetables such as broccoli and collards, canned salmon, clams, oysters, calcium-fortified foods, and tofu. According to the National Academy of Sciences, adequate intake of calcium is 1,200 milligrams a day (four glasses of milk) for men and women 51 and older, 1,000 milligrams a day for adults 19 through 50, and 1,300 milligrams a day for children 9 through 18. The upper limit for calcium intake is 2.5 grams daily.

Cavities: Holes in the two outer layers of a tooth called the enamel and the dentin. The enamel is the outermost white hard surface and the dentin is the yellow layer just beneath enamel. Both layers serve to protect the inner living tooth tissue called the pulp, where blood vessels and nerves reside. Small cavities may not cause pain, and may be unnoticed by the patient. Larger cavities can collect food, and the inner pulp of the affected tooth can become irritated by bacterial toxins, foods that are cold, hot, sour, or sweet - causing toothache.

Naturopathy: A system of therapy based on preventative care, and on the use of heat, water, light, air, and massage as primary therapies for disease. Some naturopaths use no medications, either pharmaceutical or herbal. Some recommend herbal remedies only. A few who are licensed to prescribe may recommend pharmaceuticals in those cases where they feel their use is warranted.

Naturopathy is an American healthcare profession. It was founded in the US as a formal healthcare system at the turn of the 20th century by medical practitioners from various natural therapeutic disciplines. By the early 1900s, more than 20 naturopathic medical schools existed, and naturopathic physicians were licensed in most States. Today there are more than 1,000 licensed naturopathic doctors in the US.

As practiced today, naturopathic medicine integrates traditional natural therapeutics -- including botanical medicine, clinical nutrition, homeopathy, acupuncture, traditional oriental medicine, hydrotherapy, and naturopathic manipulative therapy -- with modern scientific medical diagnostic science and standards of care. The medical research base of naturopathic practice consists of empirical documentation of treatments using case history observations, medical records, and summaries of practitioners' clinical experiences.

At present, the two accredited naturopathic medical schools in the US have active research departments. Naturopathic researchers have investigated the pharmacology and physiological effects of nutritional and natural therapeutic agents, and naturopathic physicians have been active in the investigation of new homeopathic remedies and in the natural treatment of women's health problems. The most recently completed naturopathic study in women's health tested the clinical and endocrine effects of a botanical formula as an alternative to estrogen replacement therapy.

Blood: The familiar red fluid in the body that contains white and red blood cells, platelets, proteins, and other elements. The blood is transported throughout the body by the circulatory system. Blood functions in two directions: arterial and venous. Arterial blood is the means by which oxygen and nutrients are transported to tissues while venous blood is the means by which carbon dioxide and metabolic by-products are transported to the lungs and kidneys, respectively, for removal from the body.

Blood pressure: The blood pressure is the pressure of the blood within the arteries. It is produced primarily by the contraction of the heart muscle. It's measurement is recorded by two numbers. The first (systolic pressure) is measured after the heart contracts and is highest. The second (diastolic pressure) is measured before the heart contracts and lowest. A blood pressure cuff is used to measure the pressure. Elevation of blood pressure is called "hypertension".

Brain: That part of the central nervous system that is located within the cranium (skull). The brain functions as the primary receiver, organizer and distributor of information for the body. It has two (right and left) halves called "hemispheres."

Disease: Illness or sickness often characterized by typical patient problems (symptoms) and physical findings (signs). Disruption sequence: The events that occur when a fetus that is developing normally is subjected to a destructive agent such as the rubella (German measles) virus.

Doctor: In a medical context, any medical professional with an MD, a PhD, or any other doctoral degree. The term doctor is quite nonspecific. A doctor may, for example, be a physician, psychologist, biomedical scientist, dentist, or veterinarian. In a nonmedical context, a professor of history might be addressed as doctor, an eminent theologian might be named a doctor of a church, and a person awarded an honorary doctorate by a college or university might also be called a doctor.

The word "doctor" comes from the Latin "docere" meaning to teach. A doctor was a teacher, especially a learned or authoritative one.