Indapamide

What is Indapamide?

Indapamide belongs to a class of drugs called diuretics – or water pills – and is used to treat high blood pressure and heart failure. Available via a doctor’s prescription, Indapamide comes in tablet form and can be used in combination with other blood pressure-reducing medications. Taking Indapamide can effectively reduce the chance of experiencing a stroke, heart attack or kidney problems.

How does Indapamide work?

Indapamide increases the frequency of urination, helping the body to expel excess potassium, sodium, and water through the kidneys. Decreasing levels of salt, minerals and fluid, allows the blood vessels to dilate, which, in turn, helps to effectively reduce the swelling and high blood pressure commonly associated with congestive heart failure.

How long does Indapamide take to work?

Indapamide usually begins to take effect within 2 hours of ingestion. It can, however,  take up to a week before the initial effects are felt and up to 12 weeks to experience the full benefits of the medication.

How effective is Indapamide?

Studies have shown Indapamide to be more effective than other diuretics at controlling blood pressure and reducing the risk of heart failure. A single dose of Indapamide will lower blood pressure for a minimum of 24 hours, which means that most users will only need to take it once a day. The medicines longer duration of action and increased efficacy in reducing blood pressure renders it a more viable treatment option than other diuretics.

Active ingredients

The active ingredient in Indapamide is indapamide USP. It works by decreasing salts and water in the body, which helps the blood vessels to dilate, lowering blood pressure.

Inactive ingredients

The inactive ingredients in Indapamide are corn starch, hypromellose, lactose monohydrate, magnesium stearate, microcrystalline cellulose, polyethylene glycol, polysorbate 80, talc and titanium dioxide.

Which ingredients can cause an allergic reaction?

It is rare to have a severe allergic reaction to indapamide. If you do have a severe allergic reaction to this medication, you might experience lip swelling, difficulty breathing, rash, dizziness and tightening of the chest. Please make sure to get medical attention if you notice any of these symptoms shortly after taking Indapamide. 

Indapamide dosage

Indapamide tablets are available in 1.25 mg or 2 mg doses. If Indapamide is being used to reduce your blood pressure, generally, you will start to take these tablets at a daily dose of 1.25 mg, which your doctor may increase to a maximum of 5 mg a day.
As Indapamide is a diuretic, it can also be used to encourage fluid loss. If you are taking Indapamide for this purpose, generally, you will begin with 2.5 mg per day, increasing to 5 mg per day if needed.

What should I do if I miss a dose?

If you miss a dose of Indapamide you should take it as soon as possible unless you are within 12 hours of your next dose. It is better to miss a dose completely than to take too much Indapamide, which can have dangerous side effects.

How to take Indapamide

Indapamide is usually administered once a day – preferably in the morning. You must swallow the tablets whole with a glass of water, with or without food. Do not crush, break or chew the tablets as this can prevent them from working.

If you have difficulty swallowing the tablet, speak with your doctor for advice. It is important not to take the medication at night or too late in the day (after 4pm) as the increased inclination to urinate may disturb your sleep.

What should I do if I take too much Indapamide?

Taking an extra dose of Indapamide by accident is unlikely to cause any serious harm. Symptoms of Indapamide overdose may include:

• Nausea/vomiting
• Feeling dehydrated
• Diarrhea
• Feeling faint/dizzy/sleepy
• Muscle cramps

Contact your doctor if you think you may have overdosed on Indapamide.

Indapamide side effects

Common side effects of Indapamide, affecting more than 5% of users include:

• Headache
• Back pain
• Dizziness
• Runny nose
• Fatigue
• Weakness
• Muscle cramps
• Numbness in extremities
• Nervousness

Other side effects can include:

• Low potassium or sodium
• Gout
• Liver disease
• Kidney impairment
• Calcium elevation
• Glucose intolerance
• Lupus (SLE)

Drug Interactions

Indapamide can interact with a number of drugs including the following:

• Other Antihypertensives
• Lithium
• Norepinephrine
• Atenolol (Tenormin)
• Calcium 600 D (calcium / vitamin d)
• Cymbalta (duloxetine)
• Furosemide (Lasix)
• Ibuprofen
• Amlodipine
• Anuvia (sitagliptin)
• Lantus (insulin glargine)
• Lisinopril (Zestril, Prinivil, Qbrelis)
• Metformin (Glucophage, Glumetza, Glucophage XR, Fortamet, Riomet)
• Metoprolol Succinate ER (metoprolol)
• Metoprolol Tartrate (metoprolol)
• Naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn, Naproxen Sodium DS, Anaprox, Naprelan,
• Nexium (esomeprazole)
• Altace
• Vitamin D3

Disease Interactions

Indapamide may have effects upon the following diseases, therefore it is important that you let the prescribing physician know if you have any of the following conditions:

• Low urine output
• Liver disease
• Systemic lupus erythematosis (SLE)
• Renal function disorders
• Asthma
• Diabetes
• Hyperlipidemia
• Hyperparathyroidism
• Thyroid function disorders

Contraindications

Indapamide is contraindicated for breastfeeding women and for children.