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What is hydrochlorothiazide-triamterene?

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

Triamterene is a potassium-sparing diuretic that also prevents your body from absorbing too much salt and keeps your potassium levels from getting too low.

The combination of hydrochlorothiazide and triamterene is used to treat fluid retention (edema) and high blood pressure (hypertension).

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

Precautions

Instructions

Side-effects

Interactions

Precautions

Do not use this medication if you have:

• kidney disease or are unable to urinate;
• high potassium levels (hyperkalemia); or
• if you are taking other diuretics or potassium supplements.

Before using hydrochlorothiazide and triamterene, tell your doctor if you have:

• diabetes;
• heart disease;
• cirrhosis or other liver disease;
• a breathing disorder;
• gout;
• lupus;
• a history of kidney stones;
• an allergy to sulfa drugs;
• a pancreas disorder; or
• if you are using another blood pressure medication or a steroid.

If you have any of these conditions, you may not be able to use hydrochlorothiazide and triamterene, or you may need a dosage adjustment or special tests during treatment.

FDA pregnancy category C. This medication may be harmful to an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment.

Hydrochlorothiazide passes into breast milk and could cause harm to a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

Avoid drinking alcohol, which can increase some of the side effects of hydrochlorothiazide and triamterene.

Avoid using other medicines that make you light-headed (such as cold medicine, pain medication, muscle relaxers, and medicine for seizures, depression or anxiety). They can add to the side effects of hydrochlorothiazide and triamterene. Tell your doctor if you regularly use any of these medicines, or any other blood pressure medications.

Do not use salt substitutes or low-sodium milk products that contain potassium. These products could cause your potassium levels to get too high while you are taking hydrochlorothiazide and triamterene.

Avoid a diet high in salt. Too much salt will cause your body to retain water and can make this medication less effective.

This medication 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 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.

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Instructions

Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine. Overdose symptoms may include increased urination, nausea, vomiting, weakness, fever, warmth or flushing in your face, or muscle spasms.

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.

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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.

Stop using this medication and call your doctor at once if you have a serious side effect such as:

• numbness or tingly feeling;
• muscle pain or weakness;
• slow, fast, or uneven heartbeat;
• feeling drowsy, restless, or light-headed;
• urinating less than usual or not at all;
• shallow breathing;
• tremors, confusion; or
• nausea, stomach pain, low fever, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes).

Less serious side effects may include:

• mild nausea or vomiting;
• dizziness, headache;
• gas, stomach pain; or
• skin rash.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Tell your doctor about any unusual or bothersome side effect.

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Interactions

Before taking this medication, tell your doctor if you are using any of the following drugs:

• lithium;
• amphotericin (Amphocin, Fungizone, AmBisome);
• methenamine (Hipprex, Mandelamine, Urex);
• steroids (prednisone and others);
• a blood thinner such as warfarin (Coumadin);
• insulin or diabetes medicine taken by mouth;
• laxatives;
• an ACE inhibitor such as benazepril (Lotensin), captopril (Capoten), enalapril (Vasotec), lisinopril (Prinivil, Zestril), ramipril (Altace), and others; or
• indomethacin or other NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) such as aspirin, ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil), diclofenac (Voltaren), indomethacin, naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn), piroxicam (Feldene), nabumetone (Relafen), etodolac (Lodine), and others.

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

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