Methyldopa/Hydrochlorothiazide, Oral

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KEY POINTS

• This medicine is taken by mouth to treat high blood pressure. Take it exactly as directed.
• Keep all appointments for tests to see how this medicine affects you.
• This medicine may cause unwanted side effects. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effects that are serious, continue, or get worse.
• Tell all healthcare providers who treat you about all the prescription medicines, nonprescription medicines, supplements, natural remedies, and vitamins that you take.

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What are other names for this medicine?

Type of medicine: antihypertensive

Generic and brand names: methyldopa/hydrochlorothiazide, oral

What is this medicine used for?

This medicine is a combination of 2 medicines, a blood pressure medicine and a diuretic. It is taken by mouth to treat high blood pressure.

This medicine may be used to treat other conditions as determined by your healthcare provider.

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 or transient ischemic attack (TIA)
• Anemia or other blood disorder
• Asthma
• Depression
• Diabetes
• Glaucoma
• Gout
• High cholesterol or high triglycerides (fats in the blood)
• Imbalances of sodium, potassium, magnesium, or calcium in the blood
• Liver or kidney disease
• Lupus
• Pancreatitis
• Parkinson's disease
• Pheochromocytoma (a tumor of the adrenal gland)
• Thyroid problems
• Trouble urinating

You should not take this medicine if you have taken an MAO inhibitor within 14 days of starting or stopping this medicine. Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist if you are not sure if you take an MAO inhibitor. Talk with your healthcare provider about this.

Tell your healthcare provider if you are on a low-sodium diet.

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 use it?

Check the label on the medicine for directions about your specific dose. Take this medicine exactly as your healthcare provider prescribes. Do not stop taking this medicine even if you feel better. Take it regularly to control your blood pressure.

Check with your healthcare provider before using this medicine in children under age 18.

This medicine may increase how much and how often you urinate. Take the last dose of the day before 6 PM to avoid interrupting your sleep at night.

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: dizziness, weakness, fainting, dry mouth, lightheadedness, drowsiness, slow heartbeat, nausea, vomiting, confusion, diarrhea.

What should I watch out for?

Your healthcare provider will need to see you regularly to check your blood pressure and to adjust your dosage, if necessary.

This medicine may reduce the potassium levels in your blood. You need to have blood tests regularly to see how this medicine affects you. Keep all appointments for these tests. Your healthcare provider may prescribe a potassium-rich diet or a potassium supplement. Follow the diet and exercise program your healthcare provider recommends.

This medicine may make you dizzy or drowsy. Do not drive or operate machinery unless you are fully alert.

You may feel dizzy or faint when you get up quickly after sitting or lying down. Getting up slowly may help. Also, drinking alcohol may make it worse. Do not drink alcohol unless your healthcare provider approves.

If you are dehydrated (due to diarrhea, vomiting, or sweating heavily) or you have lost salt from your system, this medicine may cause low blood pressure. Be careful when exercising, especially in hot weather. Talk with your healthcare provider about this.

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.

Adults over the age of 65 may be at greater risk for side effects. Talk with your healthcare provider about this.

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

If you have diabetes: This medicine may affect your blood sugar levels and change the amount of insulin or other diabetes medicines you may need. Talk with your healthcare provider about this. Be sure you understand how this medicine might affect you and what to do if you have a problem.

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.): Severe diarrhea; constant weakness or unusual tiredness; unexplained fever or sore throat; depression; yellowing of your skin or eyes; light-colored bowel movements; slow, fast, or irregular heartbeat; muscle cramps or pain; severe nausea or vomiting; severe stomach pain; dark urine or trouble urinating, chest pain, swelling, numbness, or tingling of hands or feet, trouble breathing, unusual bruising or bleeding; shaking or uncontrolled movements; extreme thirst or very dry mouth; decreased urination; eye pain or vision problems; unusual restlessness or confusion; severe skin rash, redness, blisters, or peeling; joint pain; severe drowsiness, dizziness, or fainting; seizures.

Other: Dizziness, drowsiness, headache, skin sensitivity to the sun, dry mouth, loss of appetite, nightmares, breast swelling or tenderness, change in sexual desire or ability, constipation, mild diarrhea, stuffy nose.

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:

• ACE inhibitors such as benazepril (Lotensin), captopril, enalapril (Vasotec), fosinopril, lisinopril (Prinivil, Zestril), quinapril (Accupril), and ramipril (Altace)
• Aliskiren (Tekturna) and aliskiren/hydrochlorothiazide (Tekturna HCT)
• Allopurinol (Aloprim, Zyloprim)
• Alpha blockers such as alfuzosin (Uroxatral), doxazosin (Cardura), and prazosin (Minipress)
• Alzheimer’s disease medicines such as donepezil (Aricept), galantamine (Razadyne), and rivastigmine (Exelon)
• Amifostine (Ethyol)
• Angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) such as azilsartan (Edarbi), candesartan (Atacand), eprosartan (Teveten), irbesartan (Avapro), losartan (Cozaar), olmesartan (Benicar), telmisartan (Micardis), and valsartan (Diovan)
• Antiarrhythmic medicines (to treat irregular heartbeat) such as amiodarone (Cordarone, Pacerone), dofetilide (Tikosyn), dronedarone (Multaq), and flecainide
• Anticholinergic medicines such as atropine, benztropine (Cogentin), dicyclomine (Bentyl), glycopyrrolate (Cuvposa, Robinul), hyoscyamine (HyoMax, Levbid, Levsin), methscopolamine (Pamine), propantheline, and trihexyphenidyl
• Antidepressants such as amitriptyline, clomipramine (Anafranil), desipramine (Norpramin), duloxetine (Cymbalta), fluoxetine (Prozac), imipramine (Tofranil), nortriptyline (Pamelor), and sertraline (Zoloft)
• Antihistamines such as azelastine (Astelin, Astepro), chlorpheniramine (Chlor-Trimeton), diphenhydramine (Benadryl), and hydroxyzine (Vistaril)
• Antipsychotic medicines such as aripiprazole (Abilify), asenapine (Saphris), chlorpromazine, clozapine (Clozaril, FazaClo), haloperidol (Haldol), iloperidone (Fanapt), olanzapine (Zyprexa), paliperidone (Invega), perphenazine, quetiapine (Seroquel), risperidone (Risperdal), thioridazine, trifluoperazine and ziprasidone (Geodon)
• Antiseizure medicines such as carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Epitol, Equetro, Tegretol), oxcarbazepine (Trileptal), and phenytoin (Dilantin, Phenytek)
• Barbiturates such as butabarbital (Butisol), pentobarbital (Nembutal), phenobarbital, and secobarbital (Seconal)
• Beta blockers such as acebutolol (Sectral), atenolol (Tenormin), carvedilol (Coreg), labetalol (Trandate), metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol), nadolol (Corgard), pindolol, and sotalol (Betapace, Sorine)
• Calcium channel blockers such as diltiazem (Cardizem, Cartia, Tiazac), felodipine, isradipine (DynaCirc), nicardipine (Cardene), nifedipine (Adalat CC, Procardia), and verapamil (Calan, Covera, Verelan)
• Calcium supplements
• Cancer medicines such as ceritinib (Zykadia), crizotinib (Xalkori), and obinutuzumab (Gazyva)
• Cholesterol-lowering medicines such as cholestyramine (Prevalite), colesevelam (Welchol), and colestipol (Colestid) (Take this medicine 2 hours before or 4 hours after taking a cholesterol medicine.)
• Clonidine (Catapres, Kapvay)
• Conivaptan (Vaprisol)
• Corticosteroids such as ACTH, dexamethasone, fludrocortisone, hydrocortisone (A-Hydrocort, Cortef), methylprednisolone (Medrol, Solu-Medrol), and prednisone (Prednisone Intensol)
• Diabetes medicines such as acarbose (Precose), glipizide (Glucotrol), glyburide (Glynase), insulin, metformin (Fortamet, Glucophage, Riomet), miglitol (Glyset), nateglinide (Starlix), pioglitazone (Actos), repaglinide (Prandin), rosiglitazone (Avandia), and tolbutamide
• Diazoxide (Proglycem)
• Digoxin (Lanoxin)
• Diuretics (water pills) such as amiloride, bumetanide, chlorothiazide (Diuril), chlorthalidone, furosemide (Lasix), hydrochlorothiazide (Microzide), spironolactone (Aldactone), torsemide (Demadex), and triamterene (Dyrenium)
• Doxepin (Silenor)
• Erectile dysfunction medicines such as avanafil (Stendra), sildenafil (Viagra), tadalafil (Cialis), and vardenafil (Levitra, Staxyn)
• Iron supplements or multivitamins that contain iron
• Linezolid (Zyvox)
• Lithium (Lithobid)
• MAO inhibitors such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam, Zelapar), and tranylcypromine (Parnate) (Do not take this medicine and an MAO inhibitor within 14 days of each other.)
• Medicines to treat breathing or lung problems such as albuterol (ProAir, Proventil, Ventolin), levalbuterol (Xopenex), pirbuterol (Maxair), and salmeterol (Serevent)
• Narcotic pain medicines such as codeine, hydrocodone (Hysingla, Zohydro), hydromorphone (Dilaudid, Exalgo), methadone (Dolophine, Methadose), morphine (Kadian, MS Contin), oxycodone (OxyContin, Roxicodone), and oxycodone/acetaminophen (Percocet, Roxicet)
• Natural remedies such as bayberry, black cohosh, blue cohosh, California poppy, dandelion, dong quai, ephedra, ginger, ginseng, goldenseal, hawthorn, licorice, shepherd's purse, and yohimbe
• Nausea medicines such as prochlorperazine (Compro) and promethazine
• Nitrate medicines such as isosorbide (Dilatrate, Isordil, Monoket) and nitroglycerin (Minitran, Nitro-Dur, Nitrostat)
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicines (NSAIDs) such as diclofenac (Cambia, Voltaren, Zipsor), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), indomethacin (Indocin), ketoprofen, ketorolac, nabumetone (Relafen), naproxen (Aleve, Anaprox, Naprelan), oxaprozin (Daypro), piroxicam (Feldene), and sulindac (Clinoril)
• Parkinson’s disease medicines such as entacapone (Comtan), levodopa/carbidopa (Duopa, Rytary, Sinemet), rasagiline (Azilect), and tolcapone (Tasmar)
• Paroxetine (Brisdelle, Paxil, Pexeva)
• Procarbazine (Matulane)
• Products that contain methylene blue (Hyophen, Prosed DS, Urophen, Uta)
• Propranolol (Hemangeol, Inderal, InnoPran)
• Quinine
• Stimulants such as amphetamine/dextroamphetamine (Adderall), dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine), and methamphetamine (Desoxyn)
• Tedizolid (Sivextro)
• Topiramate (Qudexy, Topamax, Trokendi)

Do not drink alcohol while you are taking this medicine.

If you are not sure if your medicines might interact, ask your pharmacist or healthcare provider. 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.