2. BEFORE YOU TAKE
Do NOT take <Losartan Potassium / Hydrochlorothiazide>
- if you are allergic (hypersensitive) to losartan, hydrochlorothiazide or to any of the other ingredients in this medicine
- if you are allergic (hypersensitive) to other sulfonamide-derived substances (e.g. other thiazides, some antibacterial drugs such as co-trimoxazole, ask your doctor if you are not sure)
- if you are more than 3 months pregnant (It is also better to avoid <Losartan Potassium / Hydrochlorothiazide> in early pregnancy - see “Pregnancy and breast-feeding”)
- if you have severely impaired liver function
- if you have severely impaired kidney function or your kidneys are not producing any urine
- if you have low potassium, low sodium or high calcium levels which cannot be corrected by treatment
- if you are suffering from gout.
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Take special care with <Losartan Potassium / Hydrochlorothiazide>
You must tell your doctor if you think you are (or might become) pregnant. <Losartan Potassium / Hydrochlorothiazide> is not recommended in early pregnancy, and must not be taken if you are more than 3 months pregnant, as it may cause serious harm to your baby if used at that stage (see “Pregnancy and breast-feeding”).’
It is important to tell your doctor before taking <Losartan Potassium / Hydrochlorothiazide>:It is important to tell your doctor before taking <Losartan Potassium / Hydrochlorothiazide>:
- if you have previously suffered from swelling of the face, lips, throat or tongue
- if you take diuretics (water pills)
- if you are on a salt-restricted diet
- if you have or have had severe vomiting and/or diarrhoea
- if you have heart failure
- if you have narrow arteries to your kidneys (renal artery stenosis) or only have one functioning kidney, or you have recently had a kidney transplant
- if you have narrowing of the arteries (atherosclerosis), angina pectoris (chest pain due to poor heart function)
- if you have ‘aortic or mitral valve stenosis’ (narrowing of the valves of the heart) or ‘hypertrophic cardiomyopathy’ (a disease causing thickening of heart muscle)
- if you are diabetic
- if you have had gout
- if you have or have had an allergic condition, asthma or a condition that causes joint pain, skin rashes and fever (systemic lupus erythematodus)
- if you have high calcium or low potassium levels or you are on a low potassium diet
- if you need to have an anaesthetic (even at the dentist) or before surgery, or if you are going to have tests to check your parathyroid function, you must tell the doctor or medical staff that you are taking losartan potassium and hydrochlorothiazide tablets
- if you suffer from primary hyperaldosteronism (a syndrome associated with increased secretion of the hormone aldesterone by the adrenal gland, caused by an abnormality within the gland)
- if your liver function is impaired (see "Do not take <Losartan Potassium / Hydrochlorothiazide>").
Taking other medicines
Please tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking or have recently taken any other medicines, including medicines obtained without a prescription.
Diuretic agents such as the hydrochlorothiazide contained in <Losartan Potassium / Hydrochlorothiazide> may interact with other medicines.
Preparations containing lithium should not be taken with <Losartan Potassium / Hydrochlorothiazide> without close supervision by your doctor.
Special precautionary measures (e.g. blood tests) may be appropriate if you take potassium supplements, potassium-containing salt substitutes or potassium-sparing medicines, other diuretics (“water tablets”), some laxatives, glycyrrhizin (found in liquorice), medicines for the treatment of gout, medicines to control heart rhythm or for diabetes (oral agents or insulins).
It is also important for your doctor to know if you are taking
- other medicines to reduce your blood pressure,
- steroids,
- medicines to treat cancer,
- pain killers,
- drugs for treatment of fungal infections,
- arthritis medicines,
- resins used for high cholesterol, such as colestyramine,
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- medicines which relax your muscles,
- sleeping tablets,
- opioid medicines such as morphine,
- 'pressor amines' such as adrenaline or other drugs from the same group.
Please also inform your doctor you are taking <Losartan Potassium / Hydrochlorothiazide> if you will be undergoing a radiographic procedure and will be given iodine contrast media.
Taking <Losartan Potassium / Hydrochlorothiazide> with food and drink
You are advised not to drink alcohol whilst taking these tablets: alcohol and <Losartan Potassium / Hydrochlorothiazide> may increase each other’s effects.
Dietary salt in excessive quantities may counteract the effect of <Losartan Potassium / Hydrochlorothiazide>.
<Losartan Potassium / Hydrochlorothiazide> may be taken with or without food.
Pregnancy and breast-feeding
You must tell your doctor if you think you are (or might become) pregnant. Your doctor will normally advise you to stop taking <Losartan Potassium / Hydrochlorothiazide> before you become pregnant or as soon as you know you are pregnant and will advise you to take another medicine instead of <Losartan Potassium / Hydrochlorothiazide>. <Losartan Potassium / Hydrochlorothiazide> is not recommended in early pregnancy, and must not be taken when more than 3 months pregnant, as it may cause serious harm to your baby if used after the third month of pregnancy.
Tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding or about to start breast-feeding. <Losartan Potassium / Hydrochlorothiazide> is not recommended for mothers who are breast-feeding, and your doctor may choose another treatment for you if you wish to breast-feed.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before taking any medicine.
Use in children and adolescents
There is no experience with the use of <Losartan Potassium / Hydrochlorothiazide> in children. Therefore, it should not be given to children.
Use in elderly patients
<Losartan Potassium / Hydrochlorothiazide> works equally well in and is equally well tolerated by most older and younger adult patients. Most older patients require the same dose as younger patients.
Driving and using machines
When you begin treatment with this medication, you should not perform tasks which may require special attention (for example, driving an automobile or operating dangerous machinery) until you know how you tolerate your medicine.
Important information about some of the ingredients of <Losartan Potassium / Hydrochlorothiazide>
<Losartan Potassium / Hydrochlorothiazide> contains lactose monohydrate. If you have been told by your doctor that you have an intolerance to some sugars, contact your doctor before taking this medicinal product.
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