Hygroton 25 (Chlortalidone)
Complete patient guide for uses, dosage, side effects, and safety information
Prescription RequiredQuick Facts
What Is Hygroton 25 Used For?
Hygroton 25 contains chlortalidone, a diuretic medication that helps treat high blood pressure and fluid retention by working on your kidneys to increase urine flow.
Primary Uses
Hygroton 25 is prescribed to treat high blood pressure (hypertension) and fluid build-up caused by heart or liver problems. High blood pressure often has no symptoms but can lead to serious health problems if left untreated.
How It Works
This medicine belongs to a group called diuretics (commonly called fluid or water tablets). It helps reduce the amount of salt and water in your body by acting on the kidneys to increase urine flow, which helps lower blood pressure.
Good to know: This medicine is not addictive and can be used alone or in combination with other medicines to treat your condition.
How to Take Hygroton 25
Follow all directions given by your doctor carefully, as they may differ from general instructions. Take your tablets during a meal with a full glass of water.
Dosage Instructions
For adults, the usual dose ranges from 12.5 mg to 50 mg (half a tablet to two tablets) taken each day or sometimes every other day. For children, the dose depends on body weight. If you take only one dose daily, take it in the morning. If you take multiple doses, take the last dose no later than 6 pm to avoid nighttime urination.
What If You Miss a Dose?
If it’s almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take your next dose as scheduled. Otherwise, take it as soon as you remember, then return to your normal schedule. Never take a double dose to make up for a missed one.
Important: Do not take a double dose to make up for a missed dose, as this may increase the chance of 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 or light-headedness, especially when standing up
- Loss of appetite, stomach upset, nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhea or constipation
- Headache
- Skin rash
- Problems with sexual function
Seek immediate medical attention if you experience:
- Unusual tiredness, lack of energy or weakness with nausea and disorientation
- Difficulty breathing
- Constant flu-like symptoms (chills, fever, sore throat, aching joints, swollen glands)
- Unusual bleeding or bruising, reddish or purplish blotches under skin
- Abdominal pain with nausea, vomiting and fever
- Yellowing of skin or eyes
- Irregular heartbeat
- Burning, numbness or pain in arms and legs
- Gout symptoms (pain and swelling of joints, often big toe)
- Difficulty urinating with pain or fever
- Blurred or changed vision
- Decreased vision or eye pain due to high pressure
- Severe sunburn symptoms that happen much more quickly than normal
- Serious allergic reaction (shortness of breath, wheezing, swelling of face/lips/tongue, rash or hives)
Important Warnings
There are several important conditions and situations where Hygroton 25 should not be used or requires special caution.
Who Should Not Take Hygroton 25
Do not take this medicine if you are allergic to chlortalidone, thiazide diuretics, or sulfur drugs, or if you have severe kidney or liver failure, too little potassium or sodium in your blood, too much calcium in your blood, gout, high blood pressure during pregnancy, or adrenal glands not working properly.
Medical Conditions to Discuss
Tell your doctor if you have kidney or liver problems, heart problems, unusual salt levels in your body, diabetes, high cholesterol, or if you experience decreased vision or eye pain (which could indicate fluid accumulation or increased eye pressure).
Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
Hygroton 25 may affect your baby during pregnancy and at birth. The active ingredient passes into breast milk and could affect your nursing baby. Discuss the risks and benefits with your doctor.
Vision Warning: If you experience decreased vision or eye pain, seek immediate medical attention as this could lead to permanent vision loss if not treated promptly.
Drug Interactions
Hygroton 25 can interact with many other medications, potentially affecting how well they work or increasing side effects.
- Blood pressure or heart medicines (ACE inhibitors, digitalis)
- Muscle relaxants
- Insulin or diabetes medicines
- Anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
- Asthma relievers
- Antifungal medicines (amphotericin B)
- Stomach ulcer medicines (carbenoxolone)
- Steroid medicines (cortisone, prednisolone)
- Lithium for mood disorders
- Cholesterol medicines (colestyramine)
- Gout medicines (allopurinol)
- Vitamin D or calcium supplements
- Immune system medicines (ciclosporin)
- Parkinson’s disease medicines
- Cancer treatment medicines
Alcohol & Driving
Hygroton 25 can cause dizziness and affect your ability to drive safely. Alcohol can worsen these effects and cause dangerous drops in blood pressure.
Alcohol
Be careful when drinking alcohol while taking this medicine. Alcohol can cause a sudden drop in blood pressure, making dizziness or light-headedness worse.
Driving and Operating Machinery
Be careful driving, operating machinery, or doing jobs requiring alertness until you know how Hygroton 25 affects you. This medicine may cause dizziness, light-headedness, or blurred vision in some people.
Sun Sensitivity
Stay out of direct sunlight as much as possible until you know if your skin is more sensitive to the sun than usual. Wear protective clothing and use sunscreen. Do not use sunlamps, as this medicine can make skin more sensitive to sunlight.
Storage
Keep your tablets in a cool, dry place where the temperature stays below 30°C. Do not store in the bathroom, near a sink, on a window sill, or in the car, as heat and dampness can destroy the medicine. Keep out of reach of children – a locked cupboard at least one-and-a-half meters above ground is ideal.
Overdose Information
If you think you or anyone else has taken too much Hygroton 25, immediately call your doctor, the Poisons Information Centre (13 11 26), or go to your nearest hospital emergency department, even if there are no symptoms. Overdose symptoms may include nausea, dizziness, sleepiness, muscle spasms, low blood pressure, and irregular heartbeat. You may need urgent medical attention.
Frequently Asked Questions
The medication helps control your condition but does not cure it. Your doctor will check your progress to make sure it’s working and discuss how long treatment should continue.
Yes, you should take the tablets during a meal with a full glass of water.
No, this medicine is not 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.
Be careful when drinking alcohol while taking this medicine. Alcohol can cause a sudden drop in blood pressure and make dizziness or light-headedness worse.
If it’s almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose. Otherwise, take it as soon as you remember, then return to your normal schedule. Never take a double dose to make up for a missed one.
If you are over 65 years of age, you may have an increased chance of getting side effects. Your doctor will monitor you carefully.
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.