What is Avalide?

Hydrochlorothiazide is a thiazide diuretic (water pill) that helps prevent your body from absorbing too much salt, which can cause fluid retention.

Irbesartan is in a group of drugs called angiotensin II receptor antagonists. Irbesartan keeps blood vessels from narrowing, which lowers blood pressure and improves blood flow.

Avalide is a combination angiotensin II receptor blocker and diuretic. Avalide is used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension).

Avalide may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.

Important information about Avalide

In rare cases, Avalide can cause a condition that results in the breakdown of skeletal muscle tissue, leading to kidney failure. Call your doctor right away if you have muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness especially if you also have fever, nausea or vomiting, and dark colored urine.

Before taking Avalide

Before using Avalide, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if you have:

kidney disease;
liver disease;
congestive heart failure;
low or high levels of potassium in your blood;
asthma or allergies;
high cholesterol or triglyceride levels;
gout;
lupus;
diabetes; or
an allergy to sulfa drugs.

If you have any of these conditions, you may need a dose adjustment or special tests to safely take Avalide.

FDA pregnancy category D. This medication can cause harm to an unborn baby. Avalide may cause injury and even death to the unborn baby if you take it during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy. Do not use Avalide without your doctor's consent if you are pregnant. Use an effective form of birth control. Stop using Avalide and tell your doctor right away if you become pregnant during treatment. It is not known whether Avalide passes into breast milk. Do not take this medication without first talking to your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

How should I take Avalide?

Your doctor may occasionally change your dose to make sure you get the best results from Avalide.
Take this medication with a full glass (8 ounces) of water.

To be sure Avalide is helping your condition, your blood pressure will need to be checked on a regular basis. Do not miss any scheduled visits to your doctor.
Call your doctor if you have ongoing vomiting or diarrhea, or if you are sweating more than usual. You can easily become dehydrated while taking Avalide, which can lead to severely low blood pressure or a serious electrolyte imbalance.

Hydrochlorothiazide can interfere with the results of a thyroid test. Tell any doctor who treats you that you are using this medication.

It may take up to 4 weeks for Avalide to control your blood pressure. Keep using this medication even if you feel fine. High blood pressure often has no symptoms.

If you need to have any type of surgery, tell the surgeon ahead of time that you are using Avalide. You may need to stop using the medicine for a short time.
Store Avalide at room temperature away from moisture and heat.

See also: Avalide dosage in more detail

What happens if I miss a dose?

What happens if I overdose?

Overdose symptoms may include fast or slow heartbeat, feeling light-headed, or fainting.

What should I avoid while taking Avalide?

Avoid becoming overheated or dehydrated during exercise and in hot weather. Follow your doctor's instructions about the type and amount of liquids you should drink. In some cases, drinking too much liquid can be as unsafe as not drinking enough.
Do not use potassium supplements or salt substitutes while you are taking Avalide, unless your doctor has told you to.

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

In rare cases, Avalide can cause a condition that results in the breakdown of skeletal muscle tissue, leading to kidney failure. Call your doctor right away if you have muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness especially if you also have fever, nausea or vomiting, and dark colored urine.

Call your doctor at once if you have any other serious side effects such as:

feeling like you might pass out;
chest pain, feeling short of breath, even with mild exertion;
fever;
swelling, rapid weight gain;
urinating more or less than usual, or not at all;
jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes); or
dry mouth, increased thirst, drowsiness, restless feeling, confusion, increased urination, fast heart rate, feeling light-headed, fainting, or seizure (convulsions).

Less serious Avalide side effects may include:

stomach pain, heartburn;
muscle pain;
dizziness, drowsiness;
headache;
runny or stuffy nose, sore throat; or
dry cough.

What other drugs will affect Avalide?

any other blood pressure medications;
steroids (prednisone and others);
lithium (Eskalith, Lithobid);
cholestyramine (Prevalite, Questran) or colestipol (Colestid);
insulin or diabetes medicine you take by mouth;
a barbiturate such as amobarbital (Amytal), butabarbital (Butisol), mephobarbital (Mebaral), secobarbital (Seconal), or phenobarbital (Luminal, Solfoton);
any other diuretics, such as amiloride (Midamor), bumetanide (Bumex), chlorthalidone (Hygroton, Thalitone), ethacrynic acid (Edecrin), furosemide (Lasix), hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ, HydroDiuril), indapamide (Lozol), metolazone (Mykrox, Zarxolyn), spironolactone (Aldactone), triamterene (Dyrenium, Maxzide, Dyazide), torsemide (Demadex), and others;
aspirin or other NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) such as ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil), etodolac (Lodine), indomethacin (Indocin), ketoprofen (Orudis), naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn), and others;
a muscle relaxer such as baclofen (Lioresal), carisoprodol (Soma), cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril), dantrolene (Dantrium), metaxalone (Skelaxin), or methocarbamol (Robaxin), orphenadrine (Norflex), or tizanidine (Zanaflex); or
a narcotic medication such as hydrocodone (Lortab, Vicodin), meperidine (Demerol), methadone (Methadose), oxycodone (OxyContin), propoxyphene (Darvon, Darvocet), and others.

This list is not complete and there may be other drugs that can interact with Avalide. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.

Where can I get more information?

Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others and use Avalide only for the indication prescribed.