What is the most important information I should know about hyzaar?

Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are pregnant. Hyzaar may cause injury and even death to the unborn baby if you take it during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy. Use an effective form of birth control. Stop using this medication and tell your doctor right away if you become pregnant during treatment. Hyzaar can cause side effects that may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be awake and alert. Avoid drinking alcohol. It can lower your blood pressure and may increase some of the side effects of hyzaar.

What is hyzaar?

Hydrochlorothiazide is a thiazide diuretic (water pill) that helps prevent your body from absorbing too much salt, which can cause fluid retention.

Losartan is in a group of drugs called angiotensin II receptor antagonists. Losartan keeps blood vessels from narrowing, which lowers blood pressure improves blood flow.

The combination of hyzaar is used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension) and to reduce the risk of stroke in people with hypertension.

Hyzaar may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide.

What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking hyzaar?

Do not use this medication if you are allergic to hydrochlorothiazide (Carozide, Diaqua, Ezide HCTZ, HydroDiuril, Microzide) or losartan (Cozaar), or if you:

• are unable to urinate; or
• are allergic to sulfa drugs.

Before using hyzaar, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if you have:

• kidney disease;
• liver disease;
• congestive heart failure;
• asthma or allergies;
• low or high levels of potassium in your blood;
• gout;
• lupus; or
• diabetes.

If you have any of these conditions, you may not be able to use hyzaar, or you may need a dosage adjustment or special tests during treatment.

FDA pregnancy category D. This medication can cause harm to an unborn baby. Hyzaar may cause injury and even death to the unborn baby if you take it during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy. Do not use hyzaar without your doctor's consent if you are pregnant. Use an effective form of birth control. Stop using this medication and tell your doctor right away if you become pregnant during treatment. It is not known whether hyzaar passes into breast milk. Do not take this medication without first talking to your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

How should I take hyzaar?

Take this medication exactly as it was prescribed for you. Do not take the medication in larger amounts, or take it for longer than recommended by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label.

Your doctor may occasionally change your dose to make sure you get the best results from this medication.

Take this medication with a full glass (8 ounces) of water.

To be sure this medication is helping your condition, your blood pressure will need to be checked on a regular basis. Your kidney function may also need to be tested. Do not miss any scheduled visits to your doctor.

Hydrochlorothiazide can interfere with the results of a thyroid test. Tell any doctor who treats you that you are using this medication.

If you are being treated for high blood pressure, keep using this medication even if you feel fine. High blood pressure often has no symptoms.

Store hyzaar at room temperature away from moisture and heat.

What happens if I miss a dose?

Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take the medicine at the next regularly scheduled time. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

What happens if I overdose?

Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine.

Symptoms of a hyzaar overdose may include fast or slow heartbeat, feeling light-headed, or fainting.

What should I avoid while taking hyzaar?

Hyzaar can cause side effects that may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be awake and alert. Avoid drinking alcohol. It can lower your blood pressure and may increase some of the side effects of hyzaar.

Avoid becoming overheated or dehydrated during exercise and in hot weather. Follow your doctor's instructions about the type and amount of liquids you should drink. In some cases, drinking too much liquid can be as unsafe as not drinking enough.

Do not use potassium supplements or salt substitutes while you are taking hyzaar, unless your doctor has told you to.

What are the possible side effects of hyzaar?

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. Stop using this medication and call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

• feeling light-headed, fainting;
• swelling, rapid weight gain;
• fast or pounding heartbeats;
• urinating more or less than usual, or not at all;
• jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes); or
• dry mouth, increased thirst, drowsiness, restless feeling, confusion, nausea, vomiting, increased urination, muscle pain or weakness, fast heart rate, feeling light-headed, fainting, or seizure (convulsions).

Continue using the medication and talk with your doctor if you have any of these less serious side effects:

• stomach pain;
• back pain;
• dizziness;
• skin rash;
• runny or stuffy nose, sore throat; or
• dry cough.

Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Talk to your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome.

What other drugs will affect hyzaar?

Before taking hyzaar, tell your doctor if you are using any of the following drugs:

• any other blood pressure medications;
• steroids (prednisone and others);
• lithium (Eskalith, Lithobid);
• celecoxib (Celebrex), rofecoxib (Vioxx), or valdecoxib (Bextra);
• cholestyramine (Prevalite, Questran) or colestipol (Colestid);
• rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane, Rifater);
• a barbiturate such as amobarbital (Amytal), butabarbital (Butisol), mephobarbital (Mebaral), secobarbital (Seconal), or phenobarbital (Luminal, Solfoton);
• any other diuretics, such as amiloride (Midamor), bumetanide (Bumex), chlorthalidone (Hygroton, Thalitone), ethacrynic acid (Edecrin), furosemide (Lasix), hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ, HydroDiuril), indapamide (Lozol), metolazone (Mykrox, Zarxolyn), spironolactone (Aldactone), triamterene (Dyrenium, Maxzide, Dyazide), torsemide (Demadex), and others;
• aspirin or other NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) such as ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil), diclofenac (Voltaren), diflunisal (Dolobid), etodolac (Lodine), flurbiprofen (Ansaid), indomethacin (Indocin), ketoprofen (Orudis), ketorolac (Toradol), mefenamic acid (Ponstel), meloxicam (Mobic), nabumetone (Relafen), naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn), piroxicam (Feldene), and others;
• a muscle relaxer such as baclofen (Lioresal), carisoprodol (Soma), cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril), dantrolene (Dantrium), metaxalone (Skelaxin), or methocarbamol (Robaxin), orphenadrine (Norflex), or tizanidine (Zanaflex);
• a narcotic medication such as hydrocodone (Lortab, Vicodin), hydromorphone (Dilaudid, Palladone), levorphanol (Levo-Dromoran), meperidine (Demerol), methadone (Methadose), morphine (Kadian, MS Contin), oxycodone (OxyContin), oxymorphone (Numorphan), or propoxyphene (Darvon, Darvocet).

If you are using any of these drugs, you may not be able to use hyzaar, or you may need dosage adjustments or special tests during treatment.

There may be other drugs not listed that can affect hyzaar. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.