Hydrochlorothiazide belongs to a class of drugs known as diuretics/”water pills.” It works by causing you
to make more urine
. This helps your body get rid of extra salt and water. This medication also reduces extra fluid in the body (edema) caused by conditions such as heart failure, liver disease, or kidney disease.
Should you drink a lot of water when taking hydrochlorothiazide?
Be careful not to become overheated or dehydrated in hot weather while taking hydrochlorothiazide.
Talk to your doctor
about how much fluid you should be drinking; in some cases drinking too much fluid is just as harmful as not drinking enough fluids.
What is hydrochlorothiazide 25 mg used for?
Hydrochlorothiazide is used to
treat edema
(fluid retention; excess fluid held in body tissues) caused by various medical problems, including heart, kidney, and liver disease and to treat edema caused by using certain medications including estrogen and corticosteroids.
What are the most common side effects of hydrochlorothiazide?
- blood pressure that’s lower than normal (especially when standing up after sitting or lying down)
- dizziness.
- headache.
- weakness.
- erectile dysfunction (trouble getting or keeping an erection)
- tingling in your hands, legs, and feet.
What are the long term effects of taking hydrochlorothiazide?
If it continues for a long time, the
heart and arteries may not function properly
. This can damage the blood vessels of the brain, heart, and kidneys, resulting in a stroke, heart failure, or kidney failure. High blood pressure may also increase the risk of heart attacks.
What happens when you stop taking hydrochlorothiazide?
Hydrochlorothiazide does not cause specific withdrawal symptoms, but quitting this medication suddenly can lead to
higher blood pressure, heart problems
, and an increase in water retention from the underlying medical conditions that the prescription drug treats.
Is Hydrochlorothiazide hard on your kidneys?
Hydrochlorothiazide can aggravate kidney dysfunction
and is used with caution in patients with kidney disease. Hydrochlorothiazide can lower blood potassium, sodium, and magnesium levels.
Does hydrochlorothiazide make you pee a lot?
Taking too much hydrochlorothiazide
(Microzide) can cause you to pee a lot, which can lead to dehydration and low levels of sodium, potassium, magnesium, or chloride (electrolytes) if you’re not careful.
Do you lose weight on hydrochlorothiazide?
The effective dose of hydrochlorothiazide in 52% of these responders was 50 mg/day, and this was associated with weight
loss
averaging 1.58 kg. An additional 29% achieved goal BP with a similar degree of weight loss, but they required double the dose, or 100 mg/day.
Is 25mg of hydrochlorothiazide too much?
Adults—The usual dose is 25 to 100 milligrams (mg) daily as a single or divided dose. Your doctor may want you to take this dose every other day or on 3 to 5 days each week.
Who should not take hydrochlorothiazide?
You should not use hydrochlorothiazide
if you are unable to urinate
. Before using hydrochlorothiazide, tell your doctor if you have liver disease, kidney disease, glaucoma, asthma or allergies, gout, diabetes, or if you are allergic to sulfa drugs or penicillin.
What drink is best for high blood pressure?
- Tomato juice. Growing evidence suggests that drinking one glass of tomato juice per day may promote heart health. …
- Beet juice. …
- Prune juice. …
- Pomegranate juice. …
- Berry juice. …
- Skim milk. …
- Tea.
Can I drink coffee while taking hydrochlorothiazide?
Taking caffeine with water pills might cause potassium levels to drop too low. Some “water pills” that can deplete potassium include chlorothiazide (Diuril), chlorthalidone (Thalitone), furosemide (Lasix), hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ, HydroDiuril, Microzide), and others.
How long does it take hydrochlorothiazide to work?
Pharmacological effects begin in
about 2 hours
after an oral dose, peak in 4 hours, and lasts for about 6 to 12 hours. Hydrochlorothiazide is not metabolized, and a majority is excreted in the urine unchanged. It also causes a loss of potassium and bicarbonate.
What are the worst blood pressure medications?
Both Yancy and Clements point out that those medications include: thiazide diuretics (chlorthalidone, hydrochlorothiazide) ACE inhibitors (benazepril, zofenopril, lisinopril, and many others) calcium channel blockers (amlodipine, diltiazem)
Do you have to wean off of hydrochlorothiazide?
Do not stop using hydrochlorothiazide
and metoprolol suddenly, even if you feel fine. Stopping suddenly may cause serious or life-threatening heart problems. Follow your doctor’s instructions about tapering your dose.
