Natrilix (Indapamide)
Complete patient guide for uses, dosage, side effects, and safety information
Prescription RequiredQuick Facts
What Is Natrilix Used For?
Natrilix contains indapamide, which belongs to a group of medicines called chlorosulfamoyl diuretics (a type of ‘fluid’ or ‘water’ tablet). It is prescribed to help manage high blood pressure.
Primary Uses
Natrilix 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 helps to lower your blood pressure by working as a diuretic. Everyone has blood pressure that helps circulate blood around the body, but when it’s consistently too high, it can lead to serious health problems like stroke, heart disease, and kidney failure if left untreated.
Good to know: There is no evidence that Natrilix is addictive.
How to Take Natrilix
Follow all directions given by your doctor and pharmacist carefully. Your doctor will select the right dose for you when prescribing Natrilix.
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 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 and take the next dose at the usual time. If your next dose is more than 6 hours away, take the missed dose 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
- Constipation
- Diarrhea
- Loss of appetite
- Muscle weakness, pain, tenderness
- Back pain
- Joint pain
- Muscle 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
- Decreased vision or eye pain due to high pressure (possible glaucoma)
- Signs of dehydration (dry mouth, thirst, fainting, weakness, tiredness, muscle pain/cramps, fast heartbeat, passing less urine)
- Abnormal muscle breakdown (especially with fever)
- Changes in blood cells (easy bruising, nasal bleeding, unexplained fever, sore throat)
- Inflammation of the pancreas
- Hepatic encephalopathy
- Abnormal liver function
Important Warnings
There are some people who should not take Natrilix and certain medical conditions that require special attention when taking this medication.
Who Should Not Take Natrilix
Do not take Natrilix if you are allergic to indapamide or any other ingredients, allergic to sulfonamide antibiotics or thiazide diuretics, pregnant or trying to become pregnant, breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed, 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, muscle disorders including pain/tenderness/weakness/cramps, or if you experience decreased vision or eye pain (which could indicate fluid accumulation in the eye or increased eye pressure).
Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
Do not take Natrilix if you are pregnant, trying to become pregnant, breastfeeding, or plan to breastfeed.
Athletes: Athletes should be aware that this medicine contains an active ingredient which may give a positive reaction in doping tests.
Drug Interactions
Natrilix may change the effect of some medicines, and some medicines may affect how well Natrilix works. You should not take Natrilix 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
- Stimulant laxatives
- Baclofen
- Metformin
- Immune system medications (cyclosporin, tacrolimus)
- Antifungal medications (amphotericin B, fluconazole)
- Antibiotics (moxifloxacin, ciprofloxacin, clarithromycin, erythromycin)
- Allopurinol
- Methadone
Alcohol & Driving
Be careful when driving or operating machinery until you know how Natrilix affects you. You may feel light-headed or dizzy when you begin taking Natrilix because your blood pressure is falling.
Alcohol
Symptoms of dizziness and light-headedness are likely to be made worse if you drink alcohol while taking Natrilix.
Driving and Operating Machinery
Be careful when driving or operating machinery until you know how Natrilix affects you. If you feel dizzy when standing up or getting out of bed, getting up more slowly can help as this allows your body to adjust to the change in position and blood pressure.
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 may cause your skin to become more sensitive to the sun – if this happens, stop taking Natrilix and contact your doctor.
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 may cause low blood pressure (hypotension). Other effects like nausea, cramps, sleepiness, confusion, kidney problems, and salt and water disturbances are possible. If you think you or anyone else may have taken too much Natrilix, act immediately. Telephone your doctor or the Poisons Information Centre (13 11 26 in Australia), or go to the nearest hospital emergency department, even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, there is no evidence that Natrilix is addictive.
Natrilix can help control your blood pressure but cannot cure it. Treatment is usually for life, so 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, then continue with your regular schedule. Never take two doses at once.
You should be cautious with alcohol as it can make the dizziness and light-headedness side effects worse when combined with Natrilix.
Elderly people can generally use Natrilix safely. However, some older people have reduced kidney function, in which case additional care may be required.
Do not stop taking Natrilix or change the dose without checking with your doctor first. Since treatment is usually for life to control blood pressure, stopping suddenly could cause your blood pressure to rise again.
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.