Candesartan and Hydrochlorothiazide (Systemic)

Brand Names : Atacand HCT

Before Using This Medicine

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For the combinations of candesartan and hydrochlorothiazide, the following should be considered:

Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to candesartan, hydrochlorothiazide, or any sulfonamide-type medicines. Also tell your health care provider if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Pregnancy - Use of candesartan and hydrochlorothiazide combination during pregnancy, especially during the second and third trimesters (after the first 3 months) can cause adverse effects in the newborn. Therefore, it is important that you check with your doctor immediately if you think that you may have become pregnant. Be sure that you have discussed this with your doctor before taking this medicine.

Breast-feeding - It is not known whether candesartan passes into human breast milk. However, it is distributed into animal milk. Thiazides, including hydrochlorothiazide, are distributed into human breast milk.

Children - Studies on this medicine have been done only in adult patients, and there is no specific information comparing use of candesartan and hydrochlorothiazide combination in children with use in other age groups.

Older adults - This medicine has been tested in patients 65 years of age or older and has not been shown to cause different side effects or problems in older people than it does in younger adults.

Other medicines - Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking candesartan and hydrochlorothiazide combination, it is especially important that your health care professional know if you are taking any of the following:

• Lithium (e.g., Eskalith) - Concurrent use may reduce the amount of lithium that is removed from the body, which may lead to lithium toxicity.
• Sympathomimetic agents such as norepinephrine - Hydrochlorothiazide may causse a decreased response to these substances.

Other medical problems - The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of candesartan and hydrochlorothiazide combination. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Allergy or
• Asthma, bronchial - May have an increased risk of allergic reaction to hydrochlorothiazide
• Congestive heart failure, severe - Lowering of blood pressure by candesartan and hydrochlorothiazide combination may make this condition worse
• Diabetes mellitus - Insulin dosage may need to be adjusted.
• Fluid or electrolyte (e.g., potassium, chloride, sodium) imbalance (due to excessive perspiration, vomiting, diarrhea, etc.) - The side effects of candesartan and hydrochlorothiazide may be increased
• Kidney disease or
• Liver disease - These conditions may be aggravated by candesartan and hydrochlorothiazide
• Sympathectomy - Blood pressure-lowering effects may be increased
• Systemic lupus erythematosus - Candesartan and hydrochlorothiazide combination may trigger or worsen this condition.