Pricing
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HTZ is indicated for:
Pharmacology
Thiazide diuretics such as hydrochlorothiazide help the body shed excess water by blocking the reabsorption of sodium and chloride in the distal convoluted tubules of the kidneys, which increases urine output. This same action also causes the body to lose potassium and raises uric acid levels in the blood.
Hydrochlorothiazide is widely used to treat high blood pressure, though its blood pressure-lowering effect does not appear to come solely from its diuretic action. Long-term use has been shown to reduce the risk of illness and death linked to hypertension, even though the exact mechanism behind this benefit is still not completely understood. Part of the effect seems to come from relaxation of blood vessels, brought about by activating certain large-conductance, calcium-sensitive potassium channels in vascular smooth muscle and by inhibiting carbonic anhydrase enzymes in blood vessel tissue.
Dosage Reference
Reference Information Only
Dosages shown are general references from official sources. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist for personalized dosing.
Adults:
Edema: initially 25 to 50 mg daily, reduced for maintenance if possible; maximum 100 mg daily. Hypertension: 25 mg daily, increased to 50 mg daily if necessary. Elderly: in some patients, especially the elderly, an initial dose of 12.5 mg daily may be sufficient. Children: an initial dose for children has been 1 to 2 mg per kg body weight in 2 divided doses. Infants under 6 months may need doses of up to 3 mg per kg daily.
Side Effects
Gastro-intestinal system: anorexia, gastric irritation, nausea, vomiting, cramps, diarrhoea, constipation, jaundice (intrahepatic cholestatic jaundice), pancreatitis, salivary gland inflammation. Central nervous system: dizziness, vertigo, paraesthesiae, headache, yellow vision. Heamatological: leucopenia, agranulocytosis, thrombocytopenia, aplastic anaemia, haemolytic anaemia. Cardiovascular: hypotension, including orthostatic hypotension. Hypersensitivity: purpura, photosensitivity, rash, urticaria, necrotising angiitis (vasculitis, cutaneous vasculitis), fever, respiratiory distress including pneumonitis and pulmonary oedema, anaphylactic reactions, toxic epidermal necrolysis. Metabolic: hyperglycaemia, glycosuria, hyperuricaema, electrolyte imbalance including hyponatraemia and hypokalaemia. Renal: renal dysfunction, interstitial nephritis, renal failure. Other: muscle spasm, weakness, restlessness, transient blurred vision, impotence. If side effects become moderate to severe, the dose of thiazide should be lowered or the treatment stopped.
Cautions & Contraindications
Warnings & Precautions
Patients should be carefully monitored for signs of fluid and electrolyte imbalance (low sodium, hypochloraemic alkalosis, low potassium and low magnesium). It is particularly important to check serum and urine electrolyte levels when the patient is vomiting excessively or receiving fluids by injection. Warning signs or symptoms of fluid and electrolyte imbalance include dryness of mouth, thirst, weakness, lethargy, drowsiness, restlessness, seizures, confusion, muscle pains or cramps, muscle fatigue, low blood pressure, reduced urine output, a fast heartbeat, and gastro-intestinal disturbances such as nausea and vomiting. Low potassium levels may develop, especially with brisk diuresis, when severe cirrhosis is present, or after prolonged therapy. Low potassium can make the heart more sensitive to the toxic effects of digitalis, for example by increasing ventricular irritability. Sensitivity reactions may occur in patients with or without a history of allergy or bronchial asthma. In adults, low potassium can be avoided or treated by using amiloride hydrochloride, a potassium-conserving agent, alongside treatment. It may also be avoided by taking potassium chloride or foods with a high potassium content. Diuretic-induced low sodium is usually mild and causes no symptoms. Dilutional low sodium may occur in patients with oedema in hot weather, and except in rare instances where it becomes life-threatening, the appropriate response is to restrict water intake rather than give salt. Thiazides may decrease serum protein-bound iodine levels without any signs of thyroid disturbance. They may also decrease urinary calcium excretion and can cause intermittent, slight elevation of serum calcium even when there is no known disorder of calcium metabolism. Thiazides should be stopped before tests for parathyroid function are carried out. When creatinine clearance falls below 30ml/min, thiazide diuretics become ineffective. Chlorothiazide may bring on or worsen uraemia, and the drug's effects may build up in patients with impaired kidney function. If uraemia and reduced urine output increase during treatment of kidney disease, Acuren should be stopped. Thiazides should be used with caution in patients with impaired liver function or progressive liver disease, since even minor changes in fluid and electrolyte balance can bring on hepatic coma. Some patients receiving thiazide therapy may develop high uric acid levels, or gout may be triggered. Thiazide therapy may impair glucose tolerance, and increases in cholesterol and triglyceride levels have been associated with it. There have also been reports of it worsening or triggering systemic lupus erythematosus, and it may cause latent diabetes to become apparent.
Contraindications
Anuria (absence of urine output), known hypersensitivity to Hydrochlorothiazide or to other sulphonamide-derived medicines, severe kidney or liver failure, Addison's disease, elevated blood calcium levels, and concurrent use with lithium therapy are contraindications to this medicine.
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
Use in pregnancy: Thiazides cross the placenta and can be detected in cord blood. If Hydrochlorothiazide is being considered during pregnancy, or when pregnancy is suspected, the possible benefits to the mother need to be weighed against potential risks to the fetus, including fetal or neonatal jaundice, low platelet counts, and other reactions seen in adults. Diuretics are not recommended for routine use in otherwise healthy pregnant women, whether or not mild swelling is present, since they may lead to reduced blood volume, increased blood thickness, and reduced blood flow to the placenta.
Use in breastfeeding mothers: Thiazides pass into breast milk. If treatment is considered necessary, breastfeeding should be discontinued.
⚠️ Talk to your doctor before taking any medicine during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.
Overdose
With hydrochlorothiazide overdose, the signs people see most often come from loss of electrolytes (low potassium, low chloride and low sodium) and from dehydration caused by too much urine being passed. If digitalis has also been given, low potassium can make heart rhythm problems worse.
Treatment in overdose is symptomatic and supportive. If the medicine was taken recently, vomiting should be induced or the stomach washed out (gastric lavage). Dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, hepatic coma and low blood pressure should be corrected by the usual established methods. If the person's breathing is affected, give oxygen or artificial respiration as needed.
⚠️ In an emergency call 999 or go to the nearest hospital emergency department.
Storage
Store Hydrochlorothiazide below 30°C, away from light and moisture. Keep it out of the reach of children.
Drug Interactions
Common questions about HTZ 25 mg
What is HTZ 25 mg Tablet?
HTZ 25 mg Tablet is a medicine that contains Hydrochlorothiazide. It is made by Unimed Unihealth Pharmaceuticals Ltd. It belongs to the Thiazide diuretics & related drugs group of medicines.
What is HTZ used for?
HTZ is used for: Hypertension, Heart Failure, Edema.
What are the side effects of HTZ?
Gastro-intestinal system: anorexia, gastric irritation, nausea, vomiting, cramps, diarrhoea, constipation, jaundice (intrahepatic cholestatic jaundice), pancreatitis, salivary gland inflammation. Central nervous system: dizziness, vertigo, paraesthesiae, headache, yellow vision.
Can I take HTZ during pregnancy or while breastfeeding?
Use in pregnancy: Thiazides cross the placenta and can be detected in cord blood. If Hydrochlorothiazide is being considered during pregnancy, or when pregnancy is suspected, the possible benefits to the mother need to be weighed against potential risks to the fetus, including fetal or neonatal jaundice, low platelet counts, and other reactions seen in adults. Talk to your doctor before taking any medicine during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.
What happens if I take too much HTZ?
With hydrochlorothiazide overdose, the signs people see most often come from loss of electrolytes (low potassium, low chloride and low sodium) and from dehydration caused by too much urine being passed. If digitalis has also been given, low potassium can make heart rhythm problems worse. In an emergency call 999 or go to the nearest hospital emergency department.
How should I store HTZ?
Store Hydrochlorothiazide below 30°C, away from light and moisture. Keep it out of the reach of children.
Can I take other medicines with HTZ?
Some medicines can interact with Hydrochlorothiazide, for example: Nebivolol + Hydrochlorothiazide, Olmesartan Medoxomil + Hydrochlorothiazide, Amlodipine Besilate + Telmisartan, Fluconazole, Febuxostat, Irbesartan. Tell your doctor or pharmacist about every medicine you take.
Is there a cheaper medicine with the same ingredient?
HTZ is already among the lowest-priced brands of Hydrochlorothiazide at this strength.
Do I need a prescription for HTZ?
HTZ is a prescription (Rx) medicine. Take it as your doctor advises.