Methyldopa/Thiazide Diuretics, Oral

What are other names for this medicine?

Type of medicine: antihypertensive

Generic and brand names: methyldopa and hydrochlorothiazide, oral

What is this medicine used for?

This medicine is a combination of 2 drugs taken by mouth to lower blood pressure.

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
• depression
• diabetes
• gout
• high cholesterol or high triglycerides (fats in the blood)
• liver or kidney disease
• lupus
• pancreatitis
• Parkinson's disease
• pheochromocytoma (a tumor of the adrenal gland)
• problems with low levels of sodium, potassium or magnesium in the blood
• trouble urinating

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.

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. You need to have blood tests regularly to see how this medicine affects you. Keep all appointments for these tests.

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

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.

This medicine may drive potassium (a vital mineral) from your body. Your healthcare provider may prescribe a potassium-rich diet or a potassium supplement.

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.

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; fever; depression; yellowish eyes or skin; irregular heartbeat; muscle cramps or pain; severe nausea or vomiting; dark urine or trouble urinating, chest pain, fainting, swelling of hands or feet.

Other: Dizziness, drowsiness, headache, skin sensitivity to the sun, dry mouth, increased thirst, loss of appetite, nightmares, breast tenderness, change in sexual desire or ability.

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)
• alpha blockers such as prazosin (Minipress) and doxazosin (Cardura)
• angiotensin receptor II blockers such as candesartan (Atacand), eprosartan (Teveten), irbesartan (Avapro), losartan (Cozaar), olmesartan (Benicar), telmisartan (Micardis), and valsartan (Diovan)
• antiarrhythmics (medicines to treat irregular heartbeat) such as dofetilide (Tikosyn) and flecainide (Tambocor)
• barbiturates such as phenobarbital and secobarbital
• beta blockers such as atenolol (Tenormin), acebutolol (Sectral), pindolol, metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol XL), sotalol (Betapace), nadolol (Corgard), propranolol (Inderal), labetalol (Normodyne, Trandate), and carvedilol (Coreg)
• calcium channel blockers such as nifedipine (Adalat, Procardia), isradipine (DynaCirc), felodipine (Plendil), verapamil (Calan, Isoptin), diltiazem (Cardizem), and nicardipine (Cardene)
• cholesterol-lowering medicines such as cholestyramine (Questran) and colestipol (Colestid)
• corticosteroids such as ACTH, dexamethasone (Decadron), hydrocortisone (Cortef, Hydrocortone), fludrocortisone (Florinef), methylprednisolone (Medrol), and prednisone (Deltasone)
• diabetes medicines such as insulin, acarbose (Precose), glipizide (Glucotrol), glyburide (DiaBeta, Micronase, Glynase), metformin (Glucophage), miglitol (Glyset), nateglinide (Starlix), repaglinide (Prandin), tolbutamide, pioglitazone (Actos), and rosiglitazone (Avandia)
• digoxin (Lanoxin)
• diuretics (water pills) such as hydrochlorothiazide (Microzide), furosemide (Lasix), chlorothiazide (Diuril), bumetanide (Bumex), torsemide (Demadex), spironolactone (Aldactone), triamterene (Dyrenium), and amiloride (Midamor)
• haloperidol (Haldol)
• iron supplements such as ferrous sulfate or ferrous gluconate
• levodopa/carbidopa (Sinemet)
• lithium (Lithobid, Eskalith)
• MAO inhibitor antidepressants such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), and tranylcypromine (Parnate) (Do not take an MAO inhibitor and this medicine within 14 days of each other.)
• nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen (Advil, Nuprin, Motrin, Motrin IB), naproxen (Naprosyn, Aleve), ketoprofen, and indomethacin (Indocin)
• phenothiazines such as chlorpromazine (Thorazine), prochlorperazine (Compazine), perphenazine, promazine (Sparine), thioridazine, trifluoperazine (Stelazine), and promethazine (Phenergan)
• tricyclic antidepressants such as amitriptyline, nortriptyline (Aventyl, Pamelor), imipramine (Tofranil), and doxepin (Sinequan

Do not drink alcohol while you are taking this medicine.

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.

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.