Atacand HCT

Generic Name: hydrochlorothiazide and candesartan (HYE droe KLOR oh THYE a zide and KAN de SAR tan)Brand Names: Atacand HCT

What is Atacand HCT (hydrochlorothiazide and candesartan)?

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

Candesartan is in a group of drugs called angiotensin II receptor antagonists. Candesartan keeps blood vessels from narrowing, which lowers blood pressure and improves blood flow.

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

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

What is the most important information I should know about Atacand HCT (hydrochlorothiazide and candesartan)?Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are pregnant. Hydrochlorothiazide and candesartan 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. Hydrochlorothiazide and candesartan 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 hydrochlorothiazide and candesartan. In rare cases, hydrochlorothiazide and candesartan 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.What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking Atacand HCT (hydrochlorothiazide and candesartan)?You should not use this medication if you are allergic to candesartan or hydrochlorothiazide (Carozide, Diaqua, Ezide HCTZ, HydroDiuril, Microzide, and others), 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 this medication:

• kidney disease;
• liver disease;

• congestive heart failure;

• low or high levels of potassium in your blood;

• asthma or allergies;

• high cholesterol or triglyceride levels;

• gout;

• lupus;

• diabetes; or

• an allergy to sulfa drugs.

FDA pregnancy category D. This medication can cause harm to an unborn baby. Hydrochlorothiazide and candesartan may cause injury and even death to the unborn baby if you take it during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy. Do not use hydrochlorothiazide and candesartan without your doctor's consent if you are pregnant. Use an effective form of birth control. Stop using this medication and tell your doctor right away if you become pregnant during treatment. It is not known whether hydrochlorothiazide and candesartan passes into breast milk. Do not take this medication without first talking to your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

How should I take Atacand HCT (hydrochlorothiazide and candesartan)?

Take this medication 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 this medication with a full glass (8 ounces) of water.

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 visits to your doctor.

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 this medication, which can lead to severely low blood pressure or a serious electrolyte imbalance.

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

It may take up to 4 weeks for this medication to control your blood pressure. Keep using this medication even if you feel fine. High blood pressure often has no symptoms.

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

Store hydrochlorothiazide and candesartan at room temperature away from moisture and heat.

See also: Atacand HCT dosage in more detail

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 Atacand HCT (hydrochlorothiazide and candesartan)?Hydrochlorothiazide and candesartan 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 hydrochlorothiazide and candesartan.

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 hydrochlorothiazide and candesartan, unless your doctor has told you to.

Atacand HCT (hydrochlorothiazide and candesartan) side effects

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. In rare cases, hydrochlorothiazide and candesartan 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. Call your doctor at once if you have any other serious side effect, such as:

• feeling like you might pass out;

• chest pain, feeling short of breath, even with mild exertion;

• fever;

• swelling, rapid weight gain;

• urinating more or 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, feeling light-headed, fainting, or seizure (convulsions).

Less serious side effects may include:

• stomach pain;

• back pain;

• dizziness, drowsiness;

• headache;

• 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.

What other drugs will affect Atacand HCT (hydrochlorothiazide and candesartan)?

Before taking hydrochlorothiazide and candesartan, tell your doctor if you are using any of the following drugs:

• any other blood pressure medications;

• steroids (prednisone and others);

• lithium (Eskalith, Lithobid);

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

• insulin or diabetes medicine you take by mouth;

• 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), etodolac (Lodine), indomethacin (Indocin), ketoprofen (Orudis), naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn), 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); or

• a narcotic medication such as hydrocodone (Lortab, Vicodin), meperidine (Demerol), methadone (Methadose), oxycodone (OxyContin), propoxyphene (Darvon, Darvocet), and others.

This list is not complete and there may be other drugs that can interact with hydrochlorothiazide and candesartan. 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 hydrochlorothiazide and candesartan.

• 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.
• Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

Copyright 1996-2006 Cerner Multum, Inc. Version: 3.02. Revision Date: 11/17/2009 2:43:09 PM.