Indapamide, Oral

What are other names for this medicine?

Type of medicine: diuretic

Generic and brand names: indapamide, oral; Lozol

What is this medicine used for?

This medicine is taken by mouth to treat high blood pressure. It is also used to remove excess water from your body caused by congestive heart failure. This medicine may also be used for 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
• diabetes
• gout
• an irregular heartbeat
• kidney or liver disease
• lupus
• problems with calcium, potassium, sodium, or magnesium levels in your blood
• thyroid or parathyroid disease
• trouble urinating.

Females of childbearing age: Tell your healthcare provider if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Do not breast-feed while taking this medicine without your healthcare provider's approval.

How do I take it?

Take this medicine exactly as your healthcare provider prescribes. Take it regularly, even if you feel well.

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

Follow any special diet your healthcare provider recommends.

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 should I watch out for?

You need to have blood tests and blood pressure checks regularly. Talk with your healthcare provider about this.

Do not take any other medicines, including nonprescription products, unless your healthcare provider approves.

This medicine may drive potassium (a vital mineral) from your body. Your healthcare provider may prescribe a potassium-rich diet or a potassium supplement for you to take every day.

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.

This medicine may cause lightheadedness, dizziness, drowsiness, blurred vision, or double vision. Do not drive or operate machinery unless you are fully alert and can see clearly. You may feel dizzy or faint when you get up quickly after sitting or lying down. Getting up slowly may help.

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

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): Seizures, trouble breathing or swallowing, muscle cramps or pains, severe thirst, mood changes, dry mouth, unusual weakness or tiredness, nausea, vomiting, pounding or irregular heartbeat, trouble urinating, confusion, fainting.

Other: Diarrhea, dizziness, headache, sensitivity to sunlight, stomach upset, back pain, runny nose, nervousness, trouble sleeping, blurred vision, flushing.

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 (Capoten), enalapril (Vasotec), fosinopril (Monopril), lisinopril (Prinivil, Zestril), quinapril (Accupril), and ramipril (Altace)
• beta blockers such as atenolol (Tenormin), acebutolol (Sectral), betaxolol (Kerlone), carteolol, bisoprolol (Zebeta), pindolol, metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol XL), timolol, sotalol (Betapace), nadolol (Corgard), propranolol (Inderal), labetalol (Normodyne, Trandate), and carvedilol (Coreg)
• cholesterol-lowering medicines such as cholestyramine (Questran) and colestipol (Colestid)
• corticosteroids such as prednisone (Orasone), cortisone (Cortone), hydrocortisone (Cortef, Hydrocortone), betamethasone, fludrocortisone (Florinef), methylprednisolone (Depo-Medrol), and dexamethasone
• cyclosporine (Gengraf, Sandimmune, Neoral)
• digoxin (Digitek, Lanoxin)
• herbal remedies such as dong quai, yohimbe, ginseng, and garlic
• lithium (Lithobid, Eskalith)
• medicines to treat diabetes such as insulin, chlorpropamide (Diabinese), glimepiride (Amaryl), glipizide (Glucotrol, Glucotrol XL), glyburide (DiaBeta, Micronase, Glucovance), and tolbutamide
• nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as diclofenac (Cataflam, Arthrotec, Voltaren), diflunisal (Dolobid), etodolac (Lodine), fenoprofen (Nalfon), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), indomethacin (Indocin), ketoprofen (Orudis), ketorolac (Toradol), nabumetone (Relafen), naproxen (Naprosyn, Anaprox), piroxicam (Feldene), sulindac (Clinoril), and tolmetin (Tolectin)
• other blood pressure medicines.

Keep a list of all your medicines (prescription, nonprescription, supplements, natural remedies, and vitamins) with you. 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.

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.