Fosinopril/hydrochlorothiazide is a combination medication that includes two first-choice options for treating high blood pressure. It's taken once per day, but it might be more expensive than some other alternatives.
High blood pressure
Fosinopril/hydrochlorothiazide is a combination of two medications that work together to lower blood pressure.
Fosinopril is an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor. It relaxes your blood vessels by blocking a protein (ACE) that normally squeezes your blood vessels.
Hydrochlorothiazide is a thiazide diuretic (water pill). It works in your kidneys to remove extra water and certain electrolytes (like sodium and potassium). This helps lower blood pressure.
Source:Â DailyMed
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:
Less common
Blurred vision
chest pain or discomfort
chills
cold sweats
confusion
decreased urination
dizziness, faintness, or lightheadedness when getting up from a lying or sitting position suddenly
fainting
fast, slow, or irregular heartbeat
muscle cramps or pain
numbness, tingling, pain, or weakness in the hands or feet
rapid breathing
seizures
sunken eyes
sweating
thirst
trembling
unusual tiredness or weakness
weakness and heaviness of legs
wrinkled skin
Incidence not known
Persistent non-healing sore
pink growth
reddish patch or irritated area
shiny bump
white, yellow or waxy scar-like area
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:
More common
Less common
Body aches or pain
difficult breathing
ear congestion
headache
loss of voice
muscle or bone pain
runny or stuffy nose
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.
Taken once per day
More convenient to take one pill with two medications in it
Combination of two medications that are both first-choice options for lowering blood pressure
More difficult to customize the dose, since it's a combination of two medications
Can make you urinate more often
Can't be used in women who are pregnant
Might not be the best choice for people with kidney problems
Don't take fosinopril/hydrochlorothiazide if you're allergic to sulfa-containing medications.
It's recommended to check your blood pressure every day and record your readings in a journal so your provider can monitor your progress and make sure fosinopril/hydrochlorothiazide is working for you.
Stand up slowly and carefully from a sitting or lying down position to avoid a sudden drop in your blood pressure and falling. If you feel dizzy, lightheaded, feeling like you're going to faint, tired, or confused while taking fosinopril/hydrochlorothiazide, your blood pressure might be too low. Make sure to hold onto something when standing and slowly sit or lie down if you can. Call your provider if this happens because your dose might need to be changed.
Fosinopril/hydrochlorothiazide can cause a dry cough, which usually happens during the first few months of taking the medication. Once it happens, it's not something that will go away with time. If it bothers you too much, tell your provider so you can switch to another medication.
Fosinopril/hydrochlorothiazide can affect the potassium levels in your blood. Don't take any potassium supplements or salt substitutes containing potassium with this medication before talking to your provider. Otherwise, this can raise your risk of high potassium levels, leading to heart rhythm problems.
Fosinopril/hydrochlorothiazide 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.
Fosinopril/hydrochlorothiazide shouldn't be used in pregnant women because it can cause severe harm and even death to an unborn baby. If you find out that you're pregnant while taking this medication, stop fosinopril/hydrochlorothiazide and let your provider know as soon as possible. If you're pregnant before starting fosinopril/hydrochlorothiazide or thinking of becoming pregnant during treatment, contact your provider immediately so you can switch to another medication.
Risk factors: Black people
Angioedema, or swelling in the face, lips, tongue, throat, or even your stomach, can happen at any time when taking medications containing ACE inhibitors like fosinopril/hydrochlorothiazide. This risk is higher in Black people than in non-Black people. Swelling of the tongue or throat area can be potentially life-threatening, since it can make it difficult to breathe. Get medical attention immediately if you experience swelling in any of the areas mentioned above, stomach pain, or difficulty breathing. You'll have to stop taking fosinopril/hydrochlorothiazide if this happens.
Risk factors: Dehydration | Having diarrhea or vomiting for a long time | Taking other medications that lower blood pressure | Heart failure | Dialysis
It's possible for fosinopril/hydrochlorothiazide to lower your blood pressure too much. Your risk is higher if you're dehydrated or have any conditions that cause you to become dehydrated, such as diarrhea, vomiting, heart failure, or if you're on dialysis. Make sure to stay well-hydrated. If you feel dizzy, lightheaded, faint, tired, or confused while taking fosinopril/hydrochlorothiazide, contact your provider right away.
Risk factors: Heart failure | History of kidney or liver problems
Fosinopril/hydrochlorothiazide can affect your kidneys and cause them to not work as well. This can happen to anyone, but the effects can be more severe in people with heart failure or people who already have other kidney problems. Your provider will order lab tests every so often to make sure your kidneys are healthy and working properly. If your kidney function worsens while taking fosinopril/hydrochlorothiazide, you'll have to stop taking it. Typically, your kidneys will go back to normal after you stop taking the medication. Let your provider know if you're urinating less often than usual, as this could be a sign that your kidneys aren't working as well.
Rarely, fosinopril/hydrochlorothiazide can cause damage to your liver. If you notice yellowing of the skin or eyes, stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, or confusion, stop taking fosinopril/hydrochlorothiazide and contact your provider right away.
Fosinopril/hydrochlorothiazide can affect the level of certain electrolytes in your body, including sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, and chloride. You might need bloodwork done regularly while taking this medication to make sure your electrolyte levels are in the normal range. Let your provider know if you experience fast heart beat, weakness, low energy, muscle pain or cramps, less urination than usual, nausea, or vomiting. These can be signs of electrolyte changes in your body.
Risk factors: Kidney problems | History of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) or scleroderma
Though rare, ACE inhibitors and thiazide diuretics can cause low blood cell counts. It's important to note that this effect hasn't been studied specifically in people taking fosinopril/hydrochlorothiazide. The risk is higher in people with kidney disease who also have systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) or scleroderma. Your provider might regularly monitor your blood cell counts while you're taking fosinopril/hydrochlorothiazide.
The typical dose is 1 to 4 tablets by mouth once per day. Your dose will depend on how you respond to the medication.
This medication comes as 10 mg/12.5 mg and 20 mg/12.5 mg (fosinopril/hydrochlorothiazide) tablets.
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is not recommended. Your doctor may decide not to treat you with this medication or change some of the other medicines you take.
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.
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.
Anuric (don't produce urine)
Sulfa allergy
High blood pressure in adults
High blood pressure in adults
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