Patient Medication Information: uses, side effects, how to take - PMS-Hydrochlorothiazide (Pharmascience, 100 mg)
ABOUT THIS MEDICATION
What the medication is used for:
Adults:
Decreases swelling caused by fluid retention (edema)
due to heart failure, liver disease, kidney disease, premenstrual tension, or corticosteroid and estrogen therapy.
- Lowers high blood pressure.
Lowers pregnancy-induced high blood pressure.
What it does:
pms-HYDROCHLOROTHIAZIDE is a diuretic often called “water pill”. It increases urination. This lowers blood pressure and decreases swelling.
This medicine does not cure high blood pressure or edema. It helps to control them. Therefore, it is important to continue taking pms-HYDROCHLOROTHIAZIDE regularly even if you feel fine.
When it should not be used:
Do not take pms-HYDROCHLOROTHIAZIDE if you:
- Are allergic to hydrochlorothiazide or to any non-medicinal ingredient in the formulation.
- Are allergic to any sulfonamide-derived drugs (sulfa drugs); most of them have a medicinal ingredient that ends in “-MIDE”.
- Have difficulty urinating or produce no urine.
- Are breastfeeding. Hydrochlorothiazide passes into breast milk.
What the medicinal ingredient is:
Hydrochlorothlazide.
What the non-medicinal ingredients are:
Alginic acid, colloidal silicon dioxide, FD&C Yellow No. 6 Aluminum Lake, magnesium stearate, microcrystalline cellulose and sodium carboxymethylcellulose.
What dosage forms it comes in:
Tablets: 12.5 mg, 25 mg, 50 mg & 100 mg
WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS
Before you use pms-HYDROCHLOROTHIAZIDE talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacists if you:
- Are allergic to penicillin.
- Have diabetes, liver or kidney disease.
- Have lupus or gout.
- Are dehydrated or suffer from excessive vomiting, diarrhea, or sweating.
- Are less than 18 years old
Hydrochlorothiazide in pms-HYDROCHLOROTHIAZIDE can cause Sudden Eye Disorders:
- Myopia: sudden nearsightedness or blurred vision.
- Glaucoma: an increased pressure in your eyes, eye pain. Untreated, it may lead to permanent vision loss. These eye disorders are related and can develop within hours to weeks of starting pms-HYDROCHLOROTHIAZIDE.
You may become sensitive to the sun while taking pms-HYDROCHLOROTHIAZIDE. Exposure to sunlight should be minimized until you know how you respond.
Driving and using machines: Before you perform tasks which may require special attention, wait until you know how you respond to pms-HYDROCHLOROTHIAZIDE. Dizziness, lightheadedness, or fainting can especially occur after the first dose and when the dose is increased.
INTERACTIONS WITH THIS MEDICATION
As with most medicines, interactions with other drugs are possible. Tell your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist about all the medicines you take, including drugs prescribed by other doctors, vitamins, minerals, natural supplements, or alternative medicines.
The following may interact with
pms-HYDROCHLOROTHIAZIDE:
$ Alcohol, barbiturates (sleeping pills), or narcotics (strong
pain medications). They may cause low blood pressure and dizziness when you go from lying or sitting to standing up. $ Amphotericin B, an antifungal drug.
$ Anticancer drugs, including cyclophosphamide and
methotrexate.
$ Antidepressants, in particular selective serotonin reuptake
inhibitors (SSRIs), including citalopram, escitalopram, and sertraline.
$ Antidiabetic drugs, including insulin and oral medicines. $ Bile acid resins used to lower cholesterol.
$ Calcium or vitamin D supplements.
$ Corticosteroids used to treat joint pain and swelling. $ Digoxin, a heart medication.
$ Drugs that slow down or speed up your bowels, including
atropine, metoclopramide, and domperidone. $ Drugs used to treat epilepsy, including carbamazepine and
topiramate.
$ Gout medications, including allopurinol and probenecid. $ Lithium used to treat bipolar disease.
$ Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), used to
reduce pain and swelling. Examples include ibuprofen, naproxen, and celecoxib.
$ Other blood pressure lowering drugs. When taken in
combination with hydrochlorothiazide, they may cause excessively low blood pressure.
$ Skeletal muscle relaxants used to relieve muscle spasms,
including tubocurare.
PROPER USE OF THIS MEDICATION
Take pms-HYDROCHLOROTHIAZIDE exactly as prescribed. It is recommended to take your dose at about the same time everyday.
pms-HYDROCHLOROTHIAZIDE can be taken with or without food. If pms-HYDROCHLOROTHIAZIDE causes upset stomach, take it with food or milk.
In your diet, be sure to include foods that contain potassium such as tomatoes, bananas, and beans.
Usual Adult dose:
For the treatment of high blood pressure: 50 mg or 100
mg, once a day or as a divided dose as directed by your doctor. Your doctor may increase or decrease your dose.
For the treatment of pregnancy-induced high blood
pressure: The usual dose is a 100 mg. The doctor may briefly increase dosage to 200 mg.
Doses may be prescribed:
- once a day or
- every 4 days.
For the treatment of swelling caused by fluid retention
(edema): 25 mg to 50 mg once or twice a day.
Usual Infant and Child dose:
- Infants up to 24 months: 12.5 mg to 37.5 mg twice a day.
Children 2 to 12 years old: 37.5 mg to 100 mg twice a day.
Overdose:
Missed Dose:
If you have forgotten to take your dose during the day, carry on with the next one at the usual time. Do not double dose.
SIDE EFFECTS AND WHAT TO DO ABOUT THEM
Side effects may include:
- muscle cramps, spasms, and pain, weakness, restlessness
- dizziness, pins and needles in your fingers, headache
- constipation, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, decreased appetite, upset stomach, enlargement of the glands in your mouth
- reduced libido
- bleeding under the skin, rash, red patches on the skin
If any of these affects you severely, tell your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.
pms-HYDROCHLOROTHIAZIDE can cause abnormal blood test results. Your doctor will decide when to perform blood tests and will interpret the results.
If you think you have taken too much
pms-HYDROCHLOROTHIAZIDE contact your doctor, nurse, pharmacist, hospital emergency department or regional Poison control Center immediately, even if there are no symptoms.
| SERIOUS SIDE EFFECTS, HOW OFTEN THEY HAPPEN AND WHAT TO DO ABOUT THEM | ||||
| Symptom / effect | Talk with your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist | Stop taking drug and seek immediate medical help | ||
Only if severe | In all cases | |||
Low Blood Pressure: dizziness, fainting, lightheadedness. May occur when you go from lying or sitting to standing up. | √ | |||
Decreased levels of potassium in the blood: irregular heartbeats, muscle weakness and generally feeling unwell | ||||
| Allergic Reaction: rash, hives, swelling of the face, lips, tongue or throat, difficulty swallowing or breathing | √ | |||
| Kidney Disorder: change in frequency of urination, nausea, vomiting, swelling of extremities, fatigue | √ | |||
Liver Disorder: yellowing of the skin or eyes, dark urine, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite | √ | |||
| Increased blood sugar: frequent urination, thirst, and hunger | √ | |||
Electrolyte Imbalance: weakness, drowsiness, muscle pain or cramps, irregular heartbeat | √ | |||
Decreased Platelets: bruising, bleeding, fatigue and weakness | √ | |||
| Decreased White Blood Cells: infections, fatigue, fever, aches, pains, and flu-like symptoms | √ | |||
| SERIOUS SIDE EFFECTS, HOW OFTEN THEY HAPPEN AND WHAT TO DO ABOUT THEM | ||||
| Symptom / effect | Talk with your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist | Stop taking drug and seek immediate medical help | ||
Only if severe | In all cases | |||
Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis: severe skin peeling, especially in mouth and eyes | √ | |||
Eye Disorders:
increased pressure in your eyes, eye pain | √ | |||
| Anemia: fatigue, loss of energy, weakness, shortness of breath. | √ | |||
| Inflammation of the Pancreas: abdominal pain that lasts and gets worse when you lie down, nausea, vomiting | √ | |||
This is not a complete list of side effects. For any unexpected effects while taking pms-HYDROCHLOROTHIAZIDE, contact your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist.
HOW TO STORE IT
Stored between 15°C and 30°C.
Keep out of reach and sight of children.
MORE INFORMATION
This document plus the full product monograph, prepared for health professionals, can be obtained by contacting Pharmascience Inc. at 1-888-550-6060.
Pharmascience Inc.
Montréal, Canada
H4P 2T4
www.pharmascience.com
Last revised: October 31, 2013
REPORTING SUSPECTED SIDE EFFECTS
You can report any suspected adverse reactions associated with the use of health products to the Canada Vigilance Program by one of the following 3 ways:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- $ Report online at www.healthcanada.gc.ca/medeffect $ Call toll-free at 1-866-234-2345
$ Complete a Canada Vigilance Reporting Form and:
- Fax toll-free to 1-866-678-6789, or
Mail to: Canada Vigilance Program Health Canada Postal Locator 0701E
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0K9
Postage paid labels, Canada Vigilance Reporting Form and the adverse reaction reporting guidelines are available on the MedEffect™ Canada Web site at www.healthcanada.gc.ca/medeffect.
NOTE: Should you require information related to the management of side effects, contact your health professional. The Canada Vigilance Program does not provide medical advice.