Brand Name: Micardis,Micardis HCT
Generic Name: Hydrochlorothiazide/Telmisartan
Micardis is a thiazide diuretic (water pill) that helps prevent your body from absorbing too much salt, which can cause fluid retention.
Telmisartan is in a group of drugs called angiotensin II receptor antagonists. Telmisartan keeps blood vessels from narrowing, which lowers blood pressure and improves blood flow.
The combination of hydrochlorothiazide and telmisartan is used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension).
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. Do not miss any scheduled appointments.
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 hydrochlorothiazide and telmisartan at room temperature away from moisture and heat.
Do not buy Micardis if you are allergic to hydrochlorothiazide or telmisartan, or if you are unable to urinate. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are pregnant. Telmisartan 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.
Before using hydrochlorothiazide and telmisartan, tell your doctor if you have congestive heart failure, kidney or liver disease, asthma, low or high blood levels of potassium, gout, lupus, diabetes, or an allergy to sulfa drugs.
Avoid drinking alcohol. It can lower your blood pressure and may increase some of the side effects of hydrochlorothiazide and telmisartan.
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 hydrochlorothiazide and telmisartan, unless your doctor has told you to. In rare cases, hydrochlorothiazide and telmisartan can cause a condition that results in the breakdown of skeletal muscle tissue, leading to kidney failure. Call your doctor right away if you have muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness especially if you also have fever, nausea or vomiting, and dark colored urine.