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Lotensin HCT and its Uses
Generic Lotensin HCT is a combination of two drugs used to lower blood pressure.
Benazepril is an ACE inhibitor that controls high blood pressure (hypertension) by relaxing blood vessels. Hydrochlorothiazide is a diuretic.
High blood pressure can damage the blood vessels of the brain, heart, and kidneys, resulting in a stroke, heart failure, or kidney failure. By lowering blood pressure, Lotensin HCT can help reduce your risk of having damage to your kidneys, heart, or other organs.
|| Top || Working Mechanism of Lotensin HCT
Generic Lotensin HCT is an ACE (angiotensin converting enzyme) inhibitor. ACE is an enzyme in the body, which is important for the formation of angiotensin II. Angiotensin II causes constriction of arteries in the body, thereby elevating blood pressure. ACE inhibitors such as benazepril lower blood pressure by inhibiting the formation of angiotensin II, thus relaxing the arteries. Relaxing the arteries not only lowers blood pressure, but also improves the pumping efficiency of a failing heart and improves cardiac output in patients with heart failure.
Hydrochlorothiazide is a type of medicine known as a thiazide diuretic. Thiazide diuretics act in the kidney, where they increase the production of urine. They work by causing the kidneys to increase the amount of salts, such as potassium and sodium that are filtered out of the blood and into the urine. When these salts are filtered out of the blood by the kidneys, water is also drawn alongside. As hydrochlorothiazide increases the removal of salts from the blood, it also causes more water to be drawn out of the blood and into the urine. Removing water from the blood decreases the volume of fluid circulating through the blood vessels, which lowers the pressure within the blood vessels, i.e. lowers blood pressure. It also decreases the effort required by the heart to pump the blood around the body.
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Lotensin HCT Dose
Missed Dose of Lotensin HCT
Take the missed dose of Lotensin HCT as soon as you remember. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose of Lotensin HCT and take only your next regularly scheduled dose. Do not take a double dose of Lotensin HCT.
Excess Dose of Lotensin HCT
Generic Lotensin HCT in excess dose may show symptoms such as increased urination, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness, fainting, weakness, fatigue, and unconsciousness.
Conditions for Storage of Lotensin HCT Store Lotensin HCT at room temperature away from moisture and heat.
Potencies of Lotensin HCT
Lotensin-HTC Tablets: Lotensin- HTC 10-12.5 mg, Lotensin-HTC 20-12.5 mg & Lotensin-HTC 20-25 mg || Top ||
Food and Drug Interactions with Lotensin HCT
Generic Lotensin HCT may interact with the following drugs:
- a potassium supplement such as K-Dur, Klor-Con, and others;
- a salt substitute that contains potassium;
- another diuretic (water pill) especially triamterene (Dyrenium, Maxzide, Dyazide), spironolactone (Aldactone), or amiloride (Midamor);
- cholestyramine (Questran) or colestipol (Colestid);
- a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) such as ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil), ketoprofen (Orudis, Orudis KT, Oruvail), naproxen (Naprosyn, Anaprox, Aleve), diclofenac (Cataflam, Voltaren), etodolac (Lodine), fenoprofen (Nalfon), flurbiprofen (Ansaid), indomethacin (Indocin), ketorolac (Toradol), mefenamic acid (Ponstel), nabumetone (Relafen), oxaprozin (Daypro), piroxicam (Feldene), sulindac (Clinoril), or tolmetin (Tolectin);
- an oral diabetes medication such as glipizide (Glucotrol), glyburide (Micronase, Glynase, Diabeta), chlorpropamide (Diabinese), tolazamide (Tolinase), tolbutamide (Orinase), and others;
- tetracycline (Sumycin, others);
- lithium (Lithane, Lithobid, Eskalith, others);
- a calcium channel blocker such as amlodipine (Norvasc), diltiazem (Cardizem, Dilacor XR, Tiazac), nifedipine (Adalat, Procardia), verapamil (Calan, Verelan, Isoptin), and others;
- doxazosin (Cardura), prazosin (Minipress), or terazosin (Hytrin);
- reserpine, guanadrel (Hylorel), or guanethidine (Ismelin);
- a nitrate such as nitroglycerin (Nitrostat, Transderm-Nitro, Nitro-Dur, Nitro-Bid, Minitran, others), isosorbide mononitrate (Imdur, ISMO), or isosorbide dinitrate (Isordil, Sorbitrate);
- a pain reliever such as codeine, morphine (MS Contin, MSIR, Roxanol, others), propoxyphene (Darvocet, Darvon, Wygesic), oxycodone (Percocet, Percodan), meperidine (Demerol), and others;
- a barbiturate such as phenobarbital (Luminal, Solfoton), amobarbital (Amytal), secobarbital (Seconal), and butabarbital (Butisol); or
- a steroid medicine such as cortisone (Cortone), dexamethasone (Decadron, Hexadrol), betamethasone (Celestone), hydrocortisone (Cortef, Hydrocortone), prednisone (Orasone, Deltasone), prednisolone (Delta Cortef, Prelone), methylprednisolone (Medrol), and others.
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Contraindications with Lotensin HCT
Generic Lotensin HCT is contraindicated in the following:
|| Top | Precautions with Lotensin HCT
Generic Lotensin HCT should be used with caution in:
- ACE inhibitor-induced cough should be considered in the differential diagnosis of cough.
- In patients undergoing surgery or during anesthesia with agents that produce hypotension, benazepril will block the angiotensin II formation that could otherwise occur secondary to compensatory renin release. Hypotension that occurs as a result of this mechanism can be corrected by volume expansion.
- Thiazide diuretics tend to reduce glucose tolerance and to raise serum levels of cholesterol, triglycerides, and uric acid. These effects are usually minor, but frank gout or overt diabetes may be precipitated in susceptible patients.
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Adverse Effects with Lotensin HCT
The serious adverse effects associated with Lotensin HCT are:
- an allergic reaction (difficulty breathing; closing of your throat; swelling of your lips, tongue, or face; or hives);
- fainting spells;
- unusual fatigue or abnormal bleeding or bruising;
- yellow skin or eyes;
- confusion;
- fever, chills, or a sore throat;
- little or no urine;
- irregular heartbeats; or
- increased swelling.
The less serious adverse effects associated with Lotensin HCT are:
- dizziness or lightheadedness;
- headache;
- fatigue;
- tingling or numbness in your arms, legs, hands, or feet;
- excessive urination;
- muscle weakness or cramps;
- increased hunger or thirst;
- nausea, diarrhea, constipation, decreased appetite, or changes in taste;
- sensitivity to sunlight;
- dry, tickling cough;
- anxiety or depression; or
- itching, rash, or increased sweating.
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