Alphapress (Hydralazine Hydrochloride)
Complete patient guide for uses, dosage, side effects, and safety information
Prescription RequiredQuick Facts
What Is Alphapress Used For?
Alphapress contains hydralazine hydrochloride and is prescribed to help lower high blood pressure, also known as hypertension. It is typically used alongside other blood pressure medications as part of a comprehensive treatment plan.
Primary Uses
Alphapress is used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension). It is normally used together with other medicines for high blood pressure to provide better control.
How It Works
This medicine works by widening the blood vessels so that blood passes through them more easily. This helps to lower blood pressure and reduces the strain on your heart.
Good to know: There is no evidence that Alphapress is addictive, so you don’t need to worry about dependency issues.
How to Take Alphapress
Take Alphapress exactly as prescribed by your doctor. The dosage may be adjusted based on how well you respond to the medication. Always swallow the tablets whole with a glass of water.
Dosage Instructions
The usual starting dose is 25 mg twice a day. Your doctor may increase your dose depending on how you respond to this medicine. Take your medicine at about the same time each day for the best effect and to help you remember.
What If You Miss a Dose?
If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take your next dose when you are meant to. Otherwise, take it as soon as you remember, then go back to taking your medicine as you would normally. If you’re not sure what to do, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Important: Do not take a double dose to make up for the dose you missed. This may increase the chance of getting unwanted side effects.
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:
- Dizziness
- Headache
- Flushing
- Nausea (feeling sick)
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Blocked nose
- Fast, irregular or pounding heartbeat
Seek immediate medical attention if you experience:
- Chest pain
- Wheezing or shortness of breath
- Skin rash, itching or hives
- Muscle aches, painful swollen joints
- Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)-like syndrome with joint pain, fever and skin rash
- Shortness of breath and swelling of feet or legs due to fluid build-up
- Passing little urine or no urine
- Severe stomach pain with bloating, gut cramps and vomiting
- Yellowing of skin and eyes with dark colored urine
- Frequent signs of infection such as fever, severe chills, sore throat
- Bleeding or bruising more easily than normal
- Tingling or numbness of hands or feet
- Agitation, anxiety, depression, hallucinations
Important Warnings
Before taking Alphapress, it’s crucial to inform your doctor about your medical history and current health conditions. Some people should not take this medication due to serious health risks.
Who Should Not Take Alphapress
Do not take Alphapress if you are allergic to hydralazine hydrochloride or any ingredients in the medication. Also avoid if you have systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), certain heart conditions such as heart failure or narrowing of heart valves, very fast or irregular heartbeat, dissecting aortic aneurysm, or thyrotoxicosis (overactive thyroid).
Medical Conditions to Discuss
Tell your doctor if you have heart failure, coronary heart disease, angina, recent heart attack, stroke, poor blood flow to the brain, kidney problems, or liver problems. Your doctor may need to take special care if you have any of these conditions.
Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Alphapress may affect your developing baby. The active ingredient passes into breast milk and may affect your baby, so discuss the risks and benefits with your doctor if you are breastfeeding.
Children: Do not give this medicine to children. Safety and effectiveness in children have not been established.
Drug Interactions
Several medications can interact with Alphapress and affect how it works. Always tell your doctor about all medicines, vitamins, and supplements you are taking.
- Beta-blockers (e.g. propranolol, metoprolol)
- ACE inhibitors
- Calcium channel blockers
- Diuretics (water tablets)
- Monoamine oxidase inhibitors
- Tricyclic antidepressants
- Medicines for mental and emotional conditions such as schizophrenia
- Adrenaline
Alcohol & Driving
Alphapress can affect your ability to drive and may interact with alcohol. Take precautions to ensure your safety and the safety of others.
Alcohol
Be careful drinking alcohol while taking this medicine. 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 Alphapress affects you. This medicine may cause dizziness or light-headedness in some people. If you have these symptoms, do not drive, operate machinery or do anything else that could be dangerous.
Getting Up Slowly
If you feel light-headed, dizzy or faint when getting out of bed or standing up, get up slowly. Standing up slowly, especially when you get up from bed or chairs, will help your body get used to the change in position and blood pressure.
Storage
Store Alphapress below 25°C and protect from light. Keep your tablets in the bottle until it is time to take them. If you take the tablets out of the bottle they may not keep well. 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. Keep where young children cannot reach it – a locked cupboard at least one-and-a-half metres above the ground is ideal.
Overdose Information
If you think that you or anyone else may have taken too much Alphapress, urgent medical attention may be needed. 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. Symptoms of overdose may include very fast or irregular heartbeat, chest pain, sweating, feeling sick, dizzy or faint.
Frequently Asked Questions
The medication helps control your blood pressure, but your doctor will monitor your response and may adjust your dose depending on how you respond to the medicine. It’s important to keep taking it even if you feel well.
The medication should be swallowed with a glass of water. The information provided doesn’t specify whether it should be taken with or without food, so follow your doctor’s specific instructions.
No, there is no evidence that Alphapress is addictive.
Do not stop taking your medicine or lower the dosage without checking with your doctor. If you stop taking it suddenly, your condition may worsen or you may have unwanted side effects.
Be careful drinking alcohol while taking this medicine. If you drink alcohol, dizziness or light-headedness may be worse. Tell your doctor if you drink alcohol.
If 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 medicine normally. Never take a double dose to make up for a missed dose.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Alphapress may affect your developing baby if you take it during pregnancy. Your doctor can discuss the risks and benefits with you.
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.