chlorothiazide
Chlorothiazide is an older water pill used to treat high blood pressure or leg swelling. Though it works well, other medications are more often used.
What is Chlorothiazide?
What is Chlorothiazide used for?
- High blood pressure (hypertension)
- Fluid retention (edema)
How Chlorothiazide works
Chlorothiazide is a thiazide diuretic (water pill) that makes you urinate more. It works in the kidneys to remove extra water and certain electrolytes (like sodium and potassium) to lower blood pressure and reduce swelling.
Drug facts
| Common Brands | Diuril |
|---|---|
| Drug Class | Diuretic (water pill) |
| Controlled Substance Classification | Not a controlled medication |
| Generic Status | Lower-cost generic available |
| Availability | Prescription only |
Side effects of Chlorothiazide
The following side effects may get better over time as your body gets used to the medication. Let your healthcare provider know immediately if you continue to experience these symptoms or if they worsen over time.
Common Side Effects
- Dizziness, especially when first starting it
- Low blood pressure
- Electrolyte changes
- Sensitivity to the sun
Less Common Side Effects
- High blood sugar
- Kidney failure
- Difficulties having sex (like erectile dysfunction)
The following Chlorothiazide side effects have also been reported
Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.
Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur:
Incidence not known
Abdominal or stomach pain
back, leg, or stomach pains
black, tarry stools
bleeding gums
blistering, peeling, or loosening of skin
blood in urine or stools
bloody urine
blue lips and fingernails
blurred vision
burning, crawling, itching, numbness, prickling, "pins and needles", or tingling feelings
chills
clay-colored stools
cloudy urine
cold sweats
confusion
cough or hoarseness
coughing that sometimes produces a pink frothy sputum
coughing up blood
cracks in the skin
darkened urine
decrease in urine output or decrease in urine-concentrating ability
decreased frequency or amount of urine
difficult, fast, or noisy breathing, sometimes with wheezing
difficulty swallowing
dizziness, faintness, or lightheadedness when getting up from a lying or sitting position suddenly
fast or irregular heartbeat
flushed, dry skin
fruit-like breath odor
general body swelling
general feeling of discomfort or illness
general feeling of tiredness or weakness
greatly decreased frequency of urination or amount of urine
headache
increased blood pressure
increased hunger
increased sweating
increased thirst
increased urination
indigestion
joint pain, stiffness, or swelling
loss of appetite
loss of heat from the body
lower back or side pain
muscle cramps or pain
nausea or vomiting
nosebleeds
numbness, tingling, pain, or weakness in hands or feet
pain in joints or muscles
painful or difficult urination
pains in stomach, side, or abdomen, possibly radiating to the back
pale skin
pinpoint red spots on skin
puffiness or swelling of the eyelids or around the eyes, face, lips, or tongue
rash
red, irritated eyes
red skin lesions, often with a purple center
red, swollen skin
redness, soreness, or itching skin
seizures
shortness of breath
sores, ulcers, or white spots on lips or in mouth
sores, welting, or blisters
sugar in the urine
swelling of face, fingers, legs, ankles, feet, or lower legs
swollen or painful glands
tenderness of salivary glands
thickening of bronchial secretions
tightness in chest
trembling
troubled breathing
unpleasant breath odor
unusual bleeding or bruising
unusual tiredness or weakness
unusual weight loss
vomiting of blood
weakness and heaviness of legs
yellow eyes or skin
Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:
Incidence not known
Cramping
decreased interest in sexual intercourse
difficulty having a bowel movement (stool)
feeling of constant movement of self or surroundings
hair loss, thinning of hair
inability to have or keep an erection
increased sensitivity of skin to sunlight
loss in sexual ability, desire, drive, or performance
pinpoint red or purple spots on skin
redness or other discoloration of skin
restlessness
sensation of spinning
severe sunburn
weakness
Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
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Pros and cons of Chlorothiazide
Pros
- Well-tolerated in most people to lower blood pressure
- Can be used with other drugs to help minimize swelling
- Can increase your calcium levels, which is good for people with osteoporosis
- A relatively cheap medication, even without insurance
Cons
- Makes you urinate more frequently — taking it too late in the day may cause you to wake up at night to use the bathroom
- Can cause you to have low potassium levels, which may affect your heart
- Does not work as well in people with bad kidney function
- Can make your blood sugar levels higher
- People with sulfa allergy should avoid this drug
Pharmacist tips for Chlorothiazide
- Chlorothiazide will make you urinate more frequently for a few hours after you take it. Try to take it at least 6 hours before you want to go to bed so that you don't wake up often during the night to use the restroom.
- Since chlorothiazide lowers your blood pressure, you may feel dizzy in the first few days when you first start taking it. Your body will adjust over time. Getting up slowly from your seat or bed can help with this.
- While taking chlorothiazide, you may need regular blood tests to make sure your kidneys are healthy and certain electrolytes (like sodium and potassium) are not too low.
- Chlorothiazide can make you more sensitive to the sun. Wear sunscreen when going outside to prevent sunburn.
- A very small number of people with a sulfa allergy may also be allergic to chlorothiazide. Let your provider or pharmacist know if you have any drug allergies before taking this medication.
- If you have diabetes, you may need to monitor your blood glucose more frequently because it can affect your blood sugar.
Risks and warnings for Chlorothiazide
Chlorothiazide can cause some serious health issues. This risk may be even higher for certain groups. If this worries you, talk to your doctor or pharmacist about other options.
DEHYDRATION AND ELECTROLYTE IMBALANCE
- Risk factors: Impaired kidney function | Current electrolyte imbalance | Hot weather
Taking too much chlorothiazide can cause you to urinate a lot, which can lead to dehydration and low levels of sodium, potassium, magnesium, or chloride (electrolytes) if you're not careful. Let your healthcare provider know if you experience dry mouth, weakness, tiredness, dizziness, muscle pain or cramps, increased heart rate, vomiting, or nausea.
LOW BLOOD PRESSURE
- Risk factors: Taking with alcohol | Taking other medications that lower your blood pressure
Chlorothiazide lowers your blood pressure. Low blood pressure can make you feel lightheaded or dizzy. If you drink alcohol or take other medications that lower blood pressure, chlorothiazide can cause your blood pressure to drop too low. It is best to avoid alcohol if possible when taking it.
WORSENING KIDNEY PROBLEMS
- Risk factors: History of kidney problems
Chlorothiazide can make your kidneys not work as well. It's important to get blood work done to check your kidney health before starting chlorothiazide and at least yearly after.
HIGHER BLOOD SUGARS
- Risk factors: Diabetes
Chlorothiazide can raise your blood sugars. If you have diabetes, your provider may have you check your blood sugar more regularly. Your provider will talk about this with you if it's a problem.
GOUT
- Risk factors: History of gout | Current kidney problems
Chlorothiazide can raise uric acid levels and cause or worsen gout.
PARATHYROID DISEASE
Your body gets rid of less calcium while taking chlorothiazide, which can affect your parathyroid gland.
Chlorothiazide dosage
Tablet| Dosage | Quantity | Price as low as | Price per unit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 500mg | 30 tablets | $15.64 | $0.52 |
| 250mg | 30 tablets | $19.04 | $0.63 |
Typical dosage for Chlorothiazide
- High blood pressure: Chlorothiazide is typically started at 500 mg to 1,000 mg by mouth per day for hypertension either as a single dose or split into two doses. It can be increased to 2,000 mg per day split into two doses.
- Fluid retention: Typical dosing for chlorothiazide is between 500 mg to 1,000 mg by mouth once or twice daily for edema. Many people only take this a few days of the week instead of every day when using it for fluid retention.
Interactions between Chlorothiazide and other drugs
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 this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.
- Aceclofenac
- Acemetacin
- Acetyldigoxin
- Amphetamine
- Amtolmetin Guacil
- Arsenic Trioxide
- Aspirin
- Benzphetamine
- Bepridil
- Bromfenac
- Bufexamac
- Celecoxib
- Choline Salicylate
- Clonixin
- Deslanoside
- Desmopressin
- Dexibuprofen
- Dexketoprofen
- Dextroamphetamine
- Diclofenac
- Diflunisal
- Digitalis
- Digitoxin
- Digoxin
- Dipyrone
- Dofetilide
- Droxicam
- Etodolac
- Etofenamate
- Etoricoxib
- Felbinac
- Fenoprofen
- Fepradinol
- Feprazone
- Flecainide
- Floctafenine
- Flufenamic Acid
- Flurbiprofen
- Ibuprofen
- Indomethacin
- Ketanserin
- Ketoprofen
- Ketorolac
- Lisdexamfetamine
- Lithium
- Lornoxicam
- Loxoprofen
- Lumiracoxib
- Meclofenamate
- Mefenamic Acid
- Meloxicam
- Methamphetamine
- Metildigoxin
- Morniflumate
- Nabumetone
- Naproxen
- Nepafenac
- Niflumic Acid
- Nimesulide
- Nimesulide Beta Cyclodextrin
- Oxaprozin
- Oxyphenbutazone
- Parecoxib
- Phenylbutazone
- Piketoprofen
- Piroxicam
- Porfimer
- Proglumetacin
- Propyphenazone
- Proquazone
- Rofecoxib
- Salicylic Acid
- Salsalate
- Sodium Salicylate
- Sulindac
- Tenoxicam
- Tiaprofenic Acid
- Tolfenamic Acid
- Tolmetin
- Valdecoxib
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines may cause an increased risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.
- Aminolevulinic Acid
- Calcium
- Ginkgo
- Gossypol
- Licorice
How much does Chlorothiazide cost?
