High Blood Pressure
Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ)
| Strength | Quantity | Price | Stock |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12.5mg | 90 tablets | $24.00 |  |
| 12.5mg | 90 capsules | $24.00 | |
| 25mg | 90 tablets | $22.00 | |
| 50mg | 90 tablets | $25.00 | |
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Reviewed by Roy Kedem, MD
Information last reviewed 10/22/20
Hydrochlorothiazide tablets (also known as HCTZ or Microzide) are used to treat high blood pressure. An estimated 108 million adults in the US have high blood pressure. In 2018, nearly half a million adults in the US died from conditions related to high blood pressure, so it’s really important to get your blood pressure under control. Treating high blood pressure can help prevent heart attacks and strokes.
Hydrochlorothiazide is a type of high blood pressure medication (antihypertensive) that can reduce your blood pressure to healthier levels. You may not notice any symptoms, but high blood pressure puts strain on your blood vessels, which increases your risk of dangerous diseases such as heart disease and cerebrovascular disease, which can cause strokes.
Hydrochlorothiazide is a diuretic, which works on the kidney to prevent reabsorption of sodium. This leads to excretion of sodium into the urine, which in turn draws water out as well. The increased urine output leads to lower blood volume, which then leads to lower blood pressure.
Hydrochlorothiazide is a medication used either alone or as an additional therapy to treat high blood pressure. Left untreated, high blood pressure can cause damage to various structures in the body such as the brain, heart, blood vessels and kidneys. This can result in dangerous conditions such as heart attacks and strokes.
Hydrochlorothiazide should start to work within 2 hours of taking the first dose. However, it can take several weeks to have an optimal effect on blood pressure.
After taking Hydrochlorothiazide, the first pharmacological effects occur in approximately 2 hours. The medication reaches its peak in approximately 4 hours. Each dose will last 6 to 12 hours.
HCTZ tablets are also known as Hydrochlorothiazide tablets. HCTZ is simply an abbreviation of Hydrochlorothiazide. HCTZ tablets are antihypertensives. That means that they help to reduce your blood pressure to safe levels.
HCTZ tablets are primarily used to reduce high blood pressure, however, they can also be used to reduce edema - a type of swelling or water retention - associated with certain medical conditions.
HCTZ is a diuretic medication used for the treatment of high blood pressure. There are three different types of diuretics based on what part of the kidney they affect. More specifically, HCTZ is a thiazide diuretic. Diuretics are designed to increase the amount of salt and water excreted from the body into the urine. As more water is excreted from the body, blood volume decreases and so will blood pressure.
The active ingredient in Hydrochlorothiazide is hydrochlorothiazide. This produces diuretic effects and is used to reduce blood pressure.
Inactive ingredients can vary between different manufacturers. For Hydrochlorothiazide sold under the brand name Microzide, the inactive ingredients are colloidal silicon dioxide, corn starch, lactose monohydrate, magnesium stearate. Gelatin capsules contain D&C Red No. 28, D&C Yellow No. 10, FD&C Blue No. 1, gelatin, titanium dioxide. The capsules are printed with edible ink containing black iron oxide, D&C Yellow No. 10, FD&C Blue No. 1, FD&C Blue No. 2, FD&C Red No. 40.
Hydrochlorothiazide medication can cause a severe allergic reaction which presents as hives, swelling of the lips or face, chest tightness, itchy throat and dizziness. If you experience this please get emergency medical attention right away. If you have previously had an allergic reaction to sulphonamide-containing medications, please let your doctor know and refrain from taking the medication again.
Hydrochlorothiazide is available as 12.5mg, 25mg and 50mg tablets. However, doses above 25mg are rarely prescribed as they can place you at risk of low sodium and low potassium and do not confer additional benefit.
It is recommended that the medication is taken before 6pm as it can increase the need to urinate during the night.
When you start Hydrochlorothiazide to control your blood pressure, your doctor will most likely require you to keep a blood pressure log at home during the first few weeks of treatment. If your blood pressure remains high despite compliance with Hydrochlorothiazide, it is imperative that you make another appointment with your doctor to discuss a change in dosage or medication.
Your blood pressure may have reduced to normal levels, but if you stop taking Hydrochlorothiazide, your blood pressure may increase again. Therefore, you should continue taking Hydrochlorothiazide until advised otherwise by your doctor. If you are finding it difficult to tolerate the side effects of Hydrochlorothiazide, you can discuss this with your doctor, who may be able to suggest some alternative treatments.
Lifestyle changes such as regular exercise and eating a low sodium diet can help to reduce your blood pressure. If you take these steps, you may find that you can maintain your blood pressure at healthy levels without needing medication.
Hydrochlorothiazide can be taken with or without food. Taking Hydrochlorothiazide with food may help to alleviate some of the side effects.
Some rare but serious side effects can also occur from taking Hydrochlorothiazide:
For a full list of side effects, please see the patient information leaflet provided with your medication.
Hydrochlorothiazide can interact with a number of medications, including:
Therefore, for your own safety, it is essential that you let your doctor know if you are taking any other medications.
Hydrochlorothiazide should not be used by anyone who is allergic to Hydrochlorothiazide or other sulfonamide-derived medications such as Sulfamethoxazole. Hydrochlorothiazide should be used with caution in people with the following conditions:
Diabetes is a common contraindication for Hydrochlorothiazide. The prolonged use of thiazide diuretics like Hydrochlorothiazide may cause diabetes by causing glucose intolerance. It is also possible that Hydrochlorothiazide results in the increased production of glucose from the liver, another factor that might lead to diabetes.
Studies in mice and rats have not found Hydrochlorothiazide to cause any damage to the fetus. However, for ethical reasons, no reliable human studies have been undertaken to examine the effects of Hydrochlorothiazide in pregnancy. Therefore, it is recommended that Hydrochlorothiazide is avoided during pregnancy unless the benefits of treatment would outweigh the risks.
Patients commonly ask if they can drink alcohol when taking Hydrochlorothiazide. A reduction in alcohol intake while taking Hydrochlorothiazide is recommended, as alcohol itself can lower blood pressure. Coupled with alcohol, Hydrochlorothiazide can cause blood pressure to drop too low, which may make you feel dizzy or faint.
Hydrochlorothiazide is most commonly prescribed to reduce blood pressure, although it can be prescribed for other purposes. It is effective in lowering blood pressure in people with hypertension (high blood pressure).
Hydrochlorothiazide can pass into breast milk. Therefore a decision may need to be made about whether to discontinue breastfeeding and to continue taking Hydrochlorothiazide or to stop taking Hydrochlorothiazide and to continue breastfeeding. Your doctor should be able to help you weigh the pros and cons before making this decision.
A study looking into the effects of blood pressure medication on heart rate found that Hydrochlorothiazide can lower the heart rate over time.
A common side effect of thiazide diuretics like Hydrochlorothiazide is hyperuricemia. Hyperuricemia is a term used to describe an increase in uric acid levels in the blood. Increased uric acid levels can lead to gout. Diuretics, such as Hydrochlorothiazide, reduce the rate of urate excretion and increase urate reabsorption in the kidneys, thus leading to hyperuricemia and gout.
A known side effect of Hydrochlorothiazide is hair loss and hair thinning. This side effect can be temporary or permanent.
A study conducted comparing weight gain properties of different medications concluded that Hydrochlorothiazide and other diuretics do not cause weight gain and can actually cause weight loss.
The above study concluded that Hydrochlorothiazide and other diuretics can result in moderate weight loss of about 0.4-2.7kg. However, people experience different side effects when taking Hydrochlorothiazide, so weight loss might not be seen in everyone taking the medication.
A nationwide Dutch study conducted between 2005 and 2015 found that there is no link between diuretics and an increased risk of depression. The study identified nine blood pressure medications that actually lowered the risk of depression, but Hydrochlorothiazide was not one of these drugs. None of the 41 drugs studied caused an increased risk of depression.
Like other diuretics, Hydrochlorothiazide can cause leg cramps. This occurs as diuretics deplete sodium and fluid levels in the body. They also cause a loss of potassium, calcium and magnesium, leading to cramps.
There is a wide range of different treatments available for high blood pressure. Hydrochlorothiazide is a type of high blood pressure medication known as a diuretic. Other diuretics include Furosemide, Indapamide and Metolazone. Aside from diuretics, there are various different classes of medication that can treat high blood pressure, such as ACE-inhibitors, beta-blockers, angiotensin II receptor blockers, calcium channel blockers and others. The table below outlines the different high blood pressure medications available through Medzino and what type of medication they are:
Various lifestyle changes can help to lower your blood pressure. Most involve taking steps to improve your overall health, such as maintaining a healthy diet and getting regular exercise. It may also help to lose weight if you are overweight and to reduce levels of salt, alcohol, and caffeine in your diet. Stress reduction can also help to reduce your blood pressure. Yoga and mindfulness can help to reduce stress levels, but you may just need to make sure you find time to relax.
Chlorthalidone is found to produce more significant reductions in blood pressure compared to Hydrochlorothiazide in this 2015 study. However, Chlorthalidone is also associated with a greater decline in potassium levels in the blood.
In the long term treatment of high blood pressure, a study found that Hydrochlorothiazide has a better anti-hypertensive effect (better at lowering blood pressure) than Furosemide. This may be due to Hydrochlorothiazide having a more prolonged diuretic effect than Furosemide.
Lasix is just a brand name for Furosemide. The above study found that Hydrochlorothiazide is better at lowering blood pressure in patients compared to Furosemide.
While both Hydrochlorothiazide and Lisinopril reduce blood pressure in patients, a study found that lisinopril has a more statistically significant effect in lowering blood pressure compared to Hydrochlorothiazide.
A prospective study found that Spironolactone (a potassium-sparing diuretic) is more effective at lowering systolic and diastolic blood pressure compared to Hydrochlorothiazide (a thiazide diuretic).
Amlodipine and Hydrochlorothiazide are both used to treat high blood pressure. They can be used alone or in combination. A study found that Amlodipine was more effective in lowering blood pressure in patients older than 60 compared to Hydrochlorothiazide.
Losartan and Hydrochlorothiazide are usually used in combination to treat high blood pressure. Losartan lowers blood pressure by relaxing the blood vessels and increasing the blood and oxygen supply to the heart. Hydrochlorothiazide works by lowering blood pressure by increasing the volume of water excreted in the urine. A combination of both drugs lowers blood pressure better than each medication alone. No study has been conducted comparing the efficacy of each drug alone.
Hydrochlorothiazide is the active ingredient in several branded drugs, including:
Several medications contain Hydrochlorothiazide in combination with other active ingredients such as:
Hydrochlorothiazide has passed rigorous safety tests in multiple clinical trials. However, all drugs should be used with caution as adverse side effects can occur. The prescribing doctor will weigh up the risks and benefits of a medication before issuing a prescription. If you are concerned about the safety of Hydrochlorothiazide, you should discuss this with your doctor, who may be able to find an alternative for you.
Hydrochlorothiazide is produced by several different manufacturers. Different manufacturers may produce drugs with the same active ingredient but different physical appearances. For example, Hydrochlorothiazide is available in white capsules, blue capsules, pink circular tablets and white round tablets.
Hydrochlorothiazide was first approved in 2007 by the FDA for use in high blood pressure.
The expiration date of Hydrochlorothiazide will depend upon when it was produced. You should be able to find the expiration date on the medication packaging.
Two large pharmaceutical companies, Merck and Ciba, manufacture Hydrochlorothiazide.
Hydrochlorothiazide is not metabolized in the body. It is excreted from the body into the urine unchanged.
Dr DeStevens was the scientist that discovered Hydrochlorothiazide. This discovery won him the E.B Hershberg award from the American Chemical Society in 1991.
Hydrochlorothiazide is a type of medication known as a diuretic. Diuretics are banned in sports because they can be used for rapid weight loss and to mask other prohibited drugs. The primary use of Hydrochlorothiazide is to reduce blood pressure. As an athlete, you can apply for an exemption to use Hydrochlorothiazide, with the support of your doctor, if you need Hydrochlorothiazide to treat high blood pressure.
HCTZ is an abbreviation for Hydrochlorothiazide. Therefore HCTZ can be used interchangeably with Hydrochlorothiazide.
Currently, there is nothing significant to note about Hydrochlorothiazide and COVID-19.
There are various brand names for Hydrochlorothiazide including: Apo-Hydro, Aquazide, Dichlotride, Esidrex, Hydrochlorot, Hydrodiuril, Hypothiazid, Microzide, Oretic and others.
Disclaimer: This is not medical advice. You and your physician will determine if and how you should take any medication prescribed to you following a medical consultation.
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