Natrilix SR (Indapamide)
Complete patient guide for uses, dosage, side effects, and safety information
Prescription RequiredQuick Facts
What Is Natrilix SR Used For?
Natrilix SR contains indapamide, which belongs to a group of medicines called chlorosulfamoyl diuretics (a type of ‘fluid’ or ‘water’ tablet). The medicine releases the active ingredient progressively over 24 hours.
Primary Uses
Natrilix SR is prescribed for high blood pressure (hypertension). High blood pressure occurs when your blood pressure stays higher than needed, even when you are calm and relaxed.
How It Works
Natrilix SR helps to lower your blood pressure. If high blood pressure is not treated, it can lead to serious health problems including stroke, heart disease, and kidney failure. You may feel fine and have no symptoms, but treatment is important to prevent these complications.
Good to know: There is no evidence that Natrilix SR is addictive.
How to Take Natrilix SR
Follow all directions given to you by your doctor and pharmacist carefully. Your doctor will select the appropriate dose when they prescribe Natrilix SR for you.
Dosage Instructions
The usual dose is one tablet once daily. Swallow your tablet with water, preferably in the morning. Do not crush or break the tablets. Natrilix SR treatment is usually for life, so you should keep taking the tablets regularly unless advised otherwise by your doctor.
What If You Miss a Dose?
If your next usual dose is less than 6 hours away, just leave out the dose that you missed. Take the next dose at the usual time and continue as normal. If your next dose is more than 6 hours away, take the dose you have missed as soon as you realize. Then take the next dose at the usual time and continue as normal.
Important: Do not try to make up for missed doses by taking more than one dose at a time.
Available Tablet Strengths
Side Effects
Like all medications, this medicine can cause side effects. Most are mild and temporary, but some require medical attention.
Common Side Effects
These side effects occur relatively frequently and usually don’t require emergency care:
- Headache
- Feeling tired or having less energy
- Difficulty sleeping
- Feeling faint, light-headed, or dizzy
- Feeling nervous or anxious
- Nausea or upset stomach
- Uncomfortable feeling after eating
- Vomiting or constipation
- Muscle weakness, pain, tenderness, or cramps
- Tingling or numbness of hands or feet
- Skin rashes or allergic reactions
- Gout
- Increased sensitivity to sunlight
- Dry mouth
Seek immediate medical attention if you experience:
- Swelling of lips, face, mouth, tongue, or throat
- Purple spots with blisters on arms, legs, neck, or ears (Stevens-Johnson Syndrome)
- Toxic epidermal necrolysis
- Fast and irregular heartbeat
- Severe blisters, skin rash, itching, or allergic reactions
- Decrease in vision or eye pain due to high pressure
- Signs of dehydration (dry mouth, fainting, weakness, tiredness, muscle cramps, fast heartbeat, passing less urine)
- Abnormal muscle breakdown with high temperature
- Blood cell changes (easy bruising, unexplained fever, throat soreness)
- Kidney disease
- Inflammation of the pancreas
- Liver problems affecting the brain
Important Warnings
There are some people who should not take Natrilix SR and certain medical conditions that require special attention.
Who Should Not Take Natrilix SR
Do not take if you are allergic to indapamide or any ingredients; allergic to sulfonamide antibiotics or thiazide diuretics; pregnant or trying to become pregnant; breastfeeding; have severe kidney disease; have severe liver disease or hepatic encephalopathy; have low potassium levels in your blood; or if the packaging is damaged or expired.
Medical Conditions to Discuss
Tell your doctor if you have lactose intolerance; high or low levels of potassium, sodium, or other salt balance problems; gout; diabetes; increased sensitivity to sunlight; systemic lupus erythematosus; heart rhythm problems; kidney problems; vision problems or eye pain; muscle disorders; or need parathyroid gland testing.
Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
Do not take Natrilix SR if you are pregnant, trying to become pregnant, breastfeeding, or plan to breast-feed.
Athletes: Athletes should be aware that this medicine contains an active ingredient which may give a positive reaction in doping tests.
Drug Interactions
Taking Natrilix SR may change the effect of some medicines, and some medicines may affect how well Natrilix SR works. You should not take Natrilix SR with lithium medications due to the risk of increased lithium levels in the blood.
- Lithium medications (should not be taken together)
- Steroid medicines
- Other diuretics (amiloride, spironolactone, triamterene)
- Heart rhythm medications (disopyramide, amiodarone, sotalol, flecainide)
- Blood pressure medications (ACE inhibitors)
- Mental health medications (tricyclic antidepressants, antipsychotics, neuroleptics)
- Anti-malaria medicines (chloroquine)
- Pentamidine
- Antihistamines
- Anti-nausea medications (ondansetron, domperidone)
- Cancer medications (vandetanib, oxaliplatin)
- Pain relievers (NSAIDs, high-dose aspirin)
- Calcium supplements
- Laxatives
- Baclofen
- Metformin
- Immune system medications (cyclosporin, tacrolimus)
- Antifungal medications
- Antibiotics (moxifloxacin, ciprofloxacin, clarithromycin)
- Allopurinol
- Methadone
Alcohol & Driving
Be careful when driving or operating machinery until you know how Natrilix SR affects you. You may feel light-headed or dizzy when you begin treatment.
Alcohol
Symptoms of dizziness and light-headedness are likely to be made worse if you drink alcohol or take strong pain killers.
Driving and Operating Machinery
Be careful when driving or operating machinery until you know how Natrilix SR affects you. You may feel light-headed or dizzy because your blood pressure is falling. If you have these symptoms when standing up or getting out of bed, getting up more slowly can help.
Temperature Regulation
Make sure you drink enough water during exercise and hot weather, especially if you sweat a lot. This will help you avoid dizziness or light-headedness caused by a sudden drop in blood pressure. Natrilix SR may cause your skin to become more sensitive to the sun.
Storage
Keep your tablets in the pack until it is time to take them. Store them in a cool, dry place where the temperature stays below 25°C. Keep them where children cannot reach them.
Overdose Information
Taking too much Natrilix SR may cause low blood pressure (hypotension). Other effects like sickness, cramps, sleepiness, confusion, kidney problems, and salt and water disturbances are possible. You may require urgent medical attention. If you think you or anyone else may have taken too much, telephone your doctor or the Poisons Information Centre (13 11 26 in Australia), or go to the nearest hospital emergency department immediately, even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, there is no evidence that Natrilix SR is addictive.
Natrilix SR treatment is usually for life. It can help control your blood pressure but cannot cure it. You should keep taking the tablets regularly unless advised otherwise by your doctor.
The medication should be swallowed with water, preferably in the morning. The leaflet does not specify whether it should be taken with or without food.
If your next dose is less than 6 hours away, skip the missed dose. If your next dose is more than 6 hours away, take the missed dose as soon as you remember. Never take more than one dose at a time to make up for missed doses.
Elderly people can generally use Natrilix SR safely. However, some older people have reduced kidney function, in which case additional care may be required.
Do not stop taking Natrilix SR or change the dose without checking with your doctor first. Since the treatment is usually for life to control blood pressure, stopping suddenly could cause your blood pressure to rise again.
You should be cautious with alcohol as it can make symptoms of dizziness and light-headedness worse, especially when you first start taking Natrilix SR.
Important Disclaimer
This information is intended for general educational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider or pharmacist before starting, stopping, or changing any medication.
If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or emergency services immediately.