Abisart HCTZ (Irbesartan And Hydrochlorothiazide)
Complete patient guide for uses, dosage, side effects, and safety information
Prescription RequiredQuick Facts
What Is Abisart HCTZ Used For?
Abisart HCTZ is a combination medication that contains two active ingredients that work together to lower blood pressure effectively.
Primary Uses
Abisart HCTZ is used to treat high blood pressure, which doctors call hypertension.
How It Works
This medication contains two medicines that reduce blood pressure in different ways. Irbesartan belongs to a group of medicines known as angiotensin-II receptor antagonists. It blocks a substance called angiotensin-II that causes blood vessels to narrow, helping to widen your blood vessels and making it easier for your heart to pump blood throughout your body. Hydrochlorothiazide is a diuretic that increases the volume of urine and helps lower blood pressure, particularly when combined with other blood pressure reducing medicines.
How to Take Abisart HCTZ
Your doctor will determine the right dose for you and provide specific instructions on how to take this medication properly.
Dosage Instructions
The usual dose is one tablet once a day. Swallow the tablet whole with a glass of water. You can take it with or without food. Take Abisart HCTZ at about the same time each day to help you remember. The full blood pressure lowering effect should be reached 6 to 8 weeks after beginning treatment. Continue taking until your doctor tells you to stop.
What If You Miss a Dose?
If you miss your dose at the usual time and it’s almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take your next dose when you’re meant to. Otherwise, take it as soon as you remember, then go back to taking your tablets as you normally would.
Important: Do not take a double dose to make up for the dose you missed.
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
- Dizziness or light-headedness (vertigo)
- Unusual tiredness or weakness, fatigue
- Shortness of breath when exercising or looking pale
- Pain in the stomach or gut
- Nausea and/or vomiting
- Sexual problems
- Low blood glucose levels
Seek immediate medical attention if you experience:
- Swelling of the face, lips, tongue or throat which may cause difficulty swallowing or breathing
- Severe and sudden onset of pinkish, itchy swellings on the skin (hives or nettle rash)
- Acute respiratory distress (shortness of breath, fever, weakness, confusion)
- Skin rash or itchiness
- Aching muscles not caused by exercise
- Muscle pain or weakness
- Buzzing, ringing or persistent noise in ears
- Changes in heart rhythm
- Not urinating as much as normal
- Numbness or tingling in fingers or toes
- Painful, swollen joints (symptoms of gout)
- Fainting
- Easy or excessive bruising, bleeding from gums or nose, prolonged bleeding from cuts, blood in urine or stools
- Vision disturbances (blurred vision, seeing haloes around lights) and eye pain
- Symptoms of diabetes (excessive thirst, increased urination, increased appetite with weight loss, tiredness)
- Symptoms of kidney disease (little or no urine, drowsiness, nausea, vomiting, breathlessness, loss of appetite, weakness)
- High potassium levels (nausea, diarrhea, muscle weakness, heart rhythm changes)
- Yellowing of skin and/or eyes (jaundice)
- Symptoms of liver disease (nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, feeling unwell, fever, itching, yellowing of skin and eyes, dark urine)
Important Warnings
There are important safety considerations and medical conditions that may affect whether Abisart HCTZ is right for you.
Who Should Not Take Abisart HCTZ
Do not take if you are allergic to irbesartan, hydrochlorothiazide, sulfonamide derived medicines, or any ingredients in this medication. Do not take if you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding. Do not take if you have diabetes or kidney problems and are being treated with ACE inhibitors or aliskiren-containing medicines. Do not take if you are not producing urine.
Medical Conditions to Discuss
Tell your doctor if you have kidney problems, heart problems, liver problems, diabetes, gout, lupus, high or low levels of potassium or sodium, primary aldosteronism, strict salt restriction, previous sympathectomy surgery, history of taking diuretics, skin cancer history, allergies or asthma, vision problems, or breathing/lung problems following hydrochlorothiazide use in the past.
Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
Do not take Abisart HCTZ if you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding. Tell your doctor immediately if you become pregnant while taking this medication.
Skin Cancer Risk: Treatment with hydrochlorothiazide, particularly long-term use with high doses, may increase the risk of some types of skin and lip cancer. Protect your skin from sun exposure and UV rays while taking Abisart HCTZ.
Drug Interactions
Some medicines may interfere with Abisart HCTZ and affect how it works. Always tell your doctor about all medications you’re taking.
- Other medicines to treat high blood pressure
- Other diuretics
- Lithium or lithium-containing medicines
- Potassium tablets and potassium-containing salt tablets
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines (diclofenac, ibuprofen) and COX-2 inhibitors (celecoxib)
- Sleeping tablets
- Strong pain medicines (codeine, morphine)
- Diabetes medicines (repaglinide)
- Calcium supplements or medicines containing calcium
- Medicines containing Vitamin D
- Medicines for gout
- Cholesterol-reducing powders or granules (cholestyramine, colestipol hydrochloride)
- Heart medicines (digoxin, sotalol hydrochloride)
- Corticosteroid medicines (prednisone, cortisone, ACTH)
- Cancer treatment medicines
- Amantadine (for Parkinson’s disease or influenza prevention)
- Anticholinergic medicines
- Carbamazepine (for convulsions)
- Medicines used during surgery
- Emergency medicines (adrenaline)
Alcohol & Driving
Abisart HCTZ may affect your ability to drive or operate machinery and can interact with alcohol.
Alcohol
If you drink alcohol, dizziness or light-headedness may be worse. Tell your doctor if you drink alcohol.
Driving and Operating Machinery
Be careful before you drive or use any machines or tools until you know how Abisart HCTZ affects you. This medication may cause dizziness or light-headedness in some people. If this occurs, do not drive. Make sure you know how you react to Abisart HCTZ before driving a car, operating machinery, or doing anything else that could be dangerous if you are dizzy or light-headed.
Temperature Regulation
Make sure you drink enough water during exercise and hot weather when taking Abisart HCTZ, especially if you sweat a lot. If you don’t drink enough water, you may faint or feel light-headed or sick because your body doesn’t have enough fluid and your blood pressure is low.
Storage
Keep Abisart HCTZ tablets in a cool dry place where the temperature stays below 25°C. Keep your tablets in the blister pack until it’s time to take them. Store in a cool dry place away from moisture, heat or sunlight. Do not store in the bathroom, near a sink, in the car, or on window sills. Do not use after the expiry date. Keep where young children cannot reach it.
Overdose Information
If you think you have used too much Abisart HCTZ, you may need urgent medical attention. You should immediately phone the Poisons Information Centre (13 11 26), contact your doctor, or go to the Emergency Department at your nearest hospital. Do this even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning. If you take too many tablets, you will probably feel light-headed or dizzy.
Frequently Asked Questions
The full blood pressure lowering effect should be reached 6 to 8 weeks after beginning treatment.
Yes, it doesn’t matter whether you take Abisart HCTZ tablets before or after food. You can take it with or without food.
If you miss your dose and it’s almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take your next dose when you’re meant to. Otherwise, take it as soon as you remember. Never take a double dose to make up for a missed dose.
You should tell your doctor if you drink alcohol. If you drink alcohol, dizziness or light-headedness may be worse while taking this medication.
Do not stop taking Abisart HCTZ or lower the dosage without checking with your doctor first. You should continue taking it until your doctor tells you to stop.
No, do not take Abisart HCTZ if you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding. Tell your doctor immediately if you become pregnant while taking this medication.
Yes, make sure you drink enough water during exercise and hot weather when taking Abisart HCTZ, especially if you sweat a lot. If you don’t drink enough water, you may faint or feel light-headed because your blood pressure may drop too low.
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.