Hydralazine/Hydrochlorothiazide, Oral

What are other names for this medicine?

Type of medicine: vasodilator; antihypertensive

Generic and brand names: hydralazine and hydrochlorothiazide, oral; Apresazide; Hydra-Zide

What is this medicine used for?

This medicine is taken by mouth to treat high blood pressure.

It also contains a diuretic to remove excess water and salt from your body by increasing urination.

What should my healthcare provider know before I take this medicine?

Before taking this medicine, tell your healthcare provider if you have ever had:

• an allergic reaction to any medicine
• a stroke
• asthma
• diabetes
• gout
• heart disease
• imbalances of sodium, potassium, magnesium, or calcium in the blood
• kidney or liver disease
• lupus

Females of childbearing age: Tell your healthcare provider if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known whether this medicine will harm an unborn baby. Do not breast-feed while taking this medicine without your healthcare provider's approval.

How do I take it?

Check the label on the medicine for directions about your specific dose. Take this medicine exactly as your healthcare provider prescribes. Take it regularly, even if you feel better.

This medicine may increase urination. Take your last dose of the day before 6 PM to avoid interrupting your sleep at night.

Follow any special diet your healthcare provider prescribes. Talk with your healthcare provider about taking potassium supplements while you are taking this medicine.

What if I miss a dose?

If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember unless it is almost time for the next scheduled dose. In that case, skip the missed dose and take the next one as directed. Do not take double doses. If you are not sure of what to do if you miss a dose, or if you miss more than one dose, contact your healthcare provider.

What if I overdose?

If you or anyone else has intentionally taken too much of this medicine, call 911 or go to the emergency room right away. If you pass out, have seizures, weakness or confusion, or have trouble breathing, call 911. If you think that you or anyone else may have taken too much of this medicine, call the poison control center. Do this even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning. The poison control center number is 800-222-1222.

Symptoms of an acute overdose may include: fainting, lightheadedness, dizziness, dry mouth, fast or irregular heartbeat, headache, increased urination, vomiting, diarrhea.

What should I watch out for?

Your healthcare provider may want to see you regularly to check your blood pressure. You may also need to have blood tests regularly to see how this medicine affects you. Keep all appointments.

You may feel dizzy or faint when you get up quickly after sitting or lying down. Getting up slowly may help. If you feel dizzy or faint while you are standing, lie down for a while and then get up slowly. Do not drive or operate machinery unless you are fully alert.

If you need emergency care, surgery, or dental work, tell the healthcare provider or dentist you are taking this medicine.

Alcohol, exercise, standing for a long time, and hot weather may increase the risk of dizziness or fainting. Do not drink alcohol unless your healthcare provider approves.

This medicine may make your skin more sensitive to the sun, which may lead to painful sunburns. While you are taking this medicine, avoid long exposure to the sun. Wear protective clothing, a hat, and sunscreen lotion when you need to be outdoors. Do not use a sunlamp. If you get a severe sunburn, contact your healthcare provider right away.

Diabetics: This medicine may affect your blood sugar level and change the amount of insulin or other diabetes medicines you may need. Talk to your healthcare provider about this.

What are the possible side effects?

Along with its needed effects, your medicine may cause some unwanted side effects. Some side effects may be very serious. Some side effects may go away as your body adjusts to the medicine. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effects that continue or get worse.

Life-threatening (Report these to your healthcare provider right away. If you cannot reach your healthcare provider right away, get emergency medical care or call 911 for help): Allergic reaction (hives; itching; rash; trouble breathing; tightness in your chest; swelling of your lips, tongue, and throat).

Serious (report these to your healthcare provider right away): Chest pain; joint pain; sore throat; fever; numbness, tingling, pain, or weakness in hands or feet; irregular heartbeat; severe thirst; severe vomiting or diarrhea; unusual bleeding or bruising; yellow eyes or skin; trouble urinating; confusion.

Other: Diarrhea, headache, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, loss of appetite, stuffy nose, watery eyes.

What products might interact with this medicine?

When you take this medicine with other medicines, it can change the way this or any of the other medicines work. Nonprescription medicines, vitamins, natural remedies, and certain foods may also interact. Using these products together might cause harmful side effects. Talk to your healthcare provider if you are taking:

• allopurinol (Zyloprim) and other medicines for gout
• amphotericin B (Fungizone, Abelcet)
• beta blockers such as propranolol (Inderal) and metoprolol (Lopressor)
• diazoxide (Proglycem)
• diuretics such as chlorthalidone (Hygroton), hydrochlorothiazide (Microzide), metolazone (Zaroxolyn), spironolactone (Aldactone), triamterene (Dyrenium), amiloride/hydrochlorothiazide, spironolactone/hydrochlorothiazide (Aldactazide), triamterene/hydrochlorothiazide (Dyazide, Maxzide), amiloride (Midamor), furosemide (Lasix), bumetanide (Bumex), torsemide (Demadex)
• herbal remedies such as dong quai, ephedra, yohimbe, ginseng, and garlic
• MAO inhibitor antidepressants such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), or tranylcypromine (Parnate) (Do not take an MAO inhibitor and this medicine within 14 days of each other.)
• NSAIDS such as ibuprofen (Motrin, Motrin IB, Advil, Nuprin), naproxen (Naprosyn, Anaprox, Aleve, Naprelan), ketoprofen, nabumetone (Relafen), indomethacin (Indocin), ketorolac (Toradol), sulindac (Clinoril), piroxicam (Feldene), diclofenac (Voltaren, Cataflam), and oxaprozin (Daypro)
• barbiturates such as butabarbital (Butisol), mephobarbital (Mebaral), and phenobarbital
• cholesterol-lowering medicines such as colestipol (Colestid) and cholestyramine (Questran)
• corticosteroids such as cortisone (Cortone), hydrocortisone (Hydrocortone, Cortef), betamethasone (Celestone), dexamethasone, (Hexadrol), methylprednisolone (Medrol), prednisone (Meticorten), and triamcinolone (Aristocort, Kenacort)
• cyclosporine (Gengraf, Neoral, Sandimmune)
• digoxin (Lanoxin)
• dofetilide (Tikosyn)
• lithium (Lithobid, Eskalith)
• medicines used for cancer treatment
• methenamine (Hiprex, Urex)
• narcotics such as codeine, morphine, hydrocodone (Vicodin), and oxycodone (Percocet, Tylox)
• medicines for diabetes such as acarbose (Precose), glipizide (Glucotrol), glyburide (DiaBeta, Micronase, Glynase), metformin (Glucophage), miglitol (Glyset), nateglinide (Starlix), repaglinide (Prandin), pioglitazone (Actos), and rosiglitazone (Avandia)
• warfarin (Coumadin)

Do not drink alcohol while you are taking this medicine unless your healthcare provider approves.

Keep a list of all your medicines with you. List all the prescription medicines, nonprescription medicines, supplements, natural remedies, and vitamins that you take. Be sure that you tell all healthcare providers who treat you about all the products you are taking.

How should I store this medicine?

Store this medicine at room temperature. Keep the container tightly closed. Protect it from heat, high humidity, and bright light.

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This advisory includes selected information only and may not include all side effects of this medicine or interactions with other medicines. Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for more information or if you have any questions.

Ask your pharmacist for the best way to dispose of outdated medicine or medicine you have not used. Do not throw medicine in the trash.

Keep all medicines out of the reach of children.

Do not share medicines with other people.

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