Chlortalidone
Consumer Medicine Information
What is in this leaflet
This leaflet answers some common questions about Hygroton 25 tablets. It does not contain all the available information. It does not take the place of talking to your doctor or pharmacist.
All medicines have risks and benefits. Your doctor has weighed the risks of you taking Hygroton 25 against the benefits they expect it will have for you.
If you have any concerns about this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Keep this leaflet.
You may need to read it again.
What Hygroton 25 is used for
This medicine contains chlortalidone. It is used to treat high blood pressure (also called hypertension) and fluid build-up.
Everyone has blood pressure. This pressure helps to move your blood around your body. Your blood pressure may be different at various times of the day, and can be affected by how busy you are.
You have high blood pressure (hypertension) when your blood pressure stays higher than is needed even when you are calm and relaxed. There may be no symptoms of high blood pressure so you need to have it checked regularly. If high blood pressure is not treated, it can lead to serious health problems. Hygroton 25 helps to lower your blood pressure.
Hygroton 25 is also used to treat fluid build-up caused by heart or liver problems.
This medicine belongs to a group of medicines called diuretics (commonly called fluid or water tablets). These medicines help to reduce the amount of salt and water in the body by acting on the kidneys to increase the flow of urine.
Hygroton 25 can be used alone or in combination with other medicines to treat your condition.
Ask your doctor if you have any questions about why this medicine has been prescribed for you.
Your doctor may have prescribed it for another reason.
This medicine is not addictive. It is available only with a doctor's prescription.
Before you take Hygroton 25
When you must not take it
Do not take Hygroton 25 if you have an allergy to:
any medicine containing chlortalidone
any of the ingredients listed at the end of this leaflet
any other medicines with a similar structure (e.g. thiazide diuretics or sulfur drugs).
Some of the symptoms of an allergic reaction may include:
shortness of breath
wheezing or difficulty breathing
swelling of the face, lips, tongue or other parts of the body
rash, itching or hives on the skin.
Do not take Hygroton 25 if you have any of the following health conditions:
severe kidney or liver failure
too little potassium or sodium in your blood
too much calcium in your blood
gout or if you have had gout in the past
high blood pressure during pregnancy
adrenal glands not working properly.
If you are not sure whether any of the above medical conditions apply to you, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Do not take this medicine after the expiry date printed on the pack or if the packaging is torn or shows signs of tampering.
If it has expired or is damaged, return it to your pharmacist for disposal.
Before you start to take it
Tell your doctor if you have allergies to any other medicines, foods, preservatives or dyes.
Tell your doctor if you have or have had any of the following medical conditions:
any form of kidney or liver trouble
a problem with your heart
unusual amount of salt in your body
diabetes
high cholesterol.
Your doctor may want to take special precautions if you have any of the above conditions.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant or are breastfeeding.
Hygroton 25 may affect your baby during pregnancy and at birth.
The active ingredient in Hygroton 25 passes into breast milk and there is a possibility that your baby could be affected.
Your doctor can discuss the risks and benefits involved.
Tell your doctor if you are lactose intolerant.
This medicine contains lactose.
If you have not told your doctor about any of the above, tell him/her before you start taking Hygroton 25.
Taking other medicines
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any other medicines, including any that you get without a prescription from your pharmacy, supermarket or health food shop.
Some medicines and Hygroton 25 may interfere with each other. These include:
some medicines used to treat high blood pressure or heart problems (e.g. ACE inhibitors, digitalis)
medicines used to relax muscles
insulin or other medicines for diabetes
medicines for arthritis, pain or inflammation, such as non- steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (called NSAIDs)
asthma relievers
amphotericin B, a medicine used to treat fungal infections
carbenoxolone, a medicine for stomach ulcer
ACTH, a medicine for increasing steroid levels in the body
steroid medicines, such as cortisone or prednisone
lithium, a medicine used for mood swings and some types of depression
colestyramine, a medicine used to lower high cholesterol
allopurinol, a medicine for gout
vitamin D or calcium supplements
ciclosporin, a medicine used to prevent organ transplant rejection or to treat certain problems with the immune system
medicines for Parkinson's disease (e.g. amantadine, biperiden)
atropine, a medicine used in some eye drops or products to manage diarrhoea
some medicines used to treat cancer or to treat joint pain and swelling (e.g. cyclophosphamide monohydrate, methotrexate).
These medicines may be affected by Hygroton 25 or may affect how well it works. You may need different amounts of your medicines or you may need to take different medicines.
Your doctor and pharmacist have more information on medicines to be careful with or avoid while taking this medicine.
How to take Hygroton 25
Follow all directions given to you by your doctor or pharmacist carefully.
They may differ from the information contained in this leaflet.
If you do not understand the instructions on the label, ask your doctor or pharmacist for help.
How much to take
You will usually be started on a low dose of Hygroton 25 and, if necessary, your doctor will increase the dose gradually.
For an adult, 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 a child, the dose needed will depend on how much the child weighs.
How to take it
Take the tablets during a meal with a full glass of water.
If you take only one dose of Hygroton 25 each day, take it in the morning unless your doctor tells you otherwise.
If you take more than one dose each day, take the last dose no later than 6 pm if possible.
Diuretic medicines tend to increase the amount of urine you pass. It is best to take the last dose of medicine no later than 6 pm so that you will not have to get up during the night to urinate.
How long to take it
Continue taking your medicine for as long as your doctor tells you to.
This medicine helps to control your condition, but it does not cure it. It is important to keep taking your medicine even if you feel well. Your doctor will check your progress to make sure the medicine is working and will discuss with you how long your treatment should continue.
If you forget to take it
If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the dose you missed and take your next dose when you are meant to.
Otherwise, take it as soon as you remember, and then go back to taking your medicine as you would normally.
Do not take a double dose to make up for the dose that you missed.
This may increase the chance of you getting an unwanted side effect.
If you are not sure what to do, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
If you have trouble remembering when to take your medicine, ask your pharmacist for some hints.
If you take too much (overdose)
Immediately telephone your doctor or the Poisons Information Centre (telephone 13 11 26) for advice, or go to Accident and Emergency at your nearest hospital, if you think that you or anyone else may have taken too much Hygroton 25. Do this even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning.
You may need urgent medical attention.
Some of the symptoms of an overdose may include nausea (feeling sick), dizziness, sleepiness, muscle spasms, low blood pressure and irregular heartbeat.
While you are taking Hygroton 25
Things you must do
If you are about to be started on any new medicine, remind your doctor and pharmacist that you are taking Hygroton 25.
Tell any other doctors, dentists and pharmacists who treat you that you are taking this medicine.
If you are going to have surgery, tell your surgeon or anaesthetist that you are taking Hygroton 25.
This will help to prevent unwanted side effects such as a sudden drop in blood pressure. Hygroton 25 may affect other medicines used during surgery.
If you become pregnant while taking this medicine, tell your doctor immediately.
If you are about to have any blood tests, tell your doctor that you are taking this medicine.
It may interfere with the results of some tests.
Keep all of your doctor's appointments so that your progress can be checked.
Your doctor will want to check your heart and blood pressure and do regular blood tests to make sure the treatment is working and to prevent unwanted side effects.
Follow any instructions that your doctor gives you to maintain the correct level of a salt (called potassium) in your blood.
Hygroton 25 may sometimes cause your body to lose too much potassium. To help prevent this from happening, your doctor may ask you to:
eat foods that have high potassium content (such as vegetables, fruit, fresh fruit juices, nuts, legumes and wholegrain cereals)
take a potassium supplement
take another medicine to help prevent the loss of potassium.
It is important not to add potassium to your diet without your doctor's advice. Extra potassium may not be needed and, in some cases, could be harmful.
If you are sick and have severe or continuing vomiting or diarrhoea, tell your doctor.
Vomiting and diarrhoea may cause your body to lose too much salt and water, causing unwanted side effects.
If you are being treated for diabetes, monitor your blood sugar carefully and report any problems to your doctor.
Hygroton 25 may increase your blood sugar levels and affect how well your diabetes is controlled. The dose of your medicines for diabetes may have to be changed.
Things you must not do
Do not take Hygroton 25 to treat any other complaints unless your doctor tells you to.
Do not give your medicine to anyone else, even if they have the same condition as you or if their condition seems similar to yours.
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.
Things to be careful of
Be careful driving, operating machinery or doing jobs that require you to be alert until you know how Hygroton 25 affects you.
This medicine may cause dizziness, light-headedness or blurred vision in some people. If you have any of these symptoms, do not drive or do anything else that could be dangerous.
Be careful when drinking alcohol while you are taking this medicine.
If you drink alcohol, it can cause a sudden drop in your blood pressure and dizziness or light-headedness may be worse.
If you feel light-headed, dizzy or faint when getting up from a sitting or lying position, get up slowly.
These symptoms may be due to a sudden fall in your blood pressure. If this problem gets worse or doesn't go away, talk to your doctor.
To avoid symptoms of low blood pressure, here are some hints that may help:
stand up slowly to help your body get used to the change in position and blood pressure
if you feel dizzy, sit or lie down until you feel better
if you feel faint, breathe deeply, sit down, bend forward and put your head between your knees
avoid alcohol or medicines to help you sleep as they may make your blood pressure fall even more
take extra care when exercising, driving or standing for long periods, especially in hot weather. Drink plenty of fluids, especially if you sweat a lot.
Be careful to stay out of direct sunlight as much as possible until you find out if your skin is more sensitive to the sun than usual. Wear protective clothing and use a sunscreen. Do not use a sunlamp.
In rare cases, this medicine can make the skin more sensitive to sunlight than usual.
Side effects
Tell your doctor or pharmacist as soon as possible if you do not feel well while you are taking Hygroton 25.
This medicine helps most people with high blood pressure, but it may have unwanted side effects in a few people. All medicines can have side effects. Sometimes they are serious, but most of the time they are not. You may need medical attention if you get some of the side effects.
If you are over 65 years of age, you may have an increased chance of getting side effects.
Do not be alarmed by the following lists of side effects. You may not experience any of them.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist to answer any questions you may have.
Tell your doctor if you notice any of the following side effects and they worry you:
dizziness or light-headedness, especially on standing up
loss of appetite, stomach upset, nausea (feeling sick) or vomiting
diarrhoea or constipation
headache
skin rash
problems with sexual function.
Tell your doctor as soon as possible if you notice any of the following:
unusual tiredness, lack of energy or weakness, sometimes with nausea and a feeling of disorientation
difficulty breathing
constant "flu-like" symptoms (chills, fever, sore throat, aching joints, swollen glands)
unusual bleeding or bruising, reddish or purplish blotches under the skin
pain in the abdomen with nausea, vomiting and fever
yellowing of the skin or eyes
irregular heart beat
burning, numbness or pain in arms and legs
symptoms of gout such as pain and swelling of the joints, often in the big toe
difficulty urinating, sometimes with pain or fever
blurred or changed vision
symptoms of sunburn (redness, itching, swelling, blistering) that happen much more quickly than normal.
The above list includes serious side effects that may require medical attention. Serious side effects are rare.
Tell your doctor immediately, or go to Accident and Emergency at your nearest hospital, if you notice:
serious allergic reaction (shortness of breath, wheezing or difficulty breathing; swelling of the face, lips, tongue or other parts of the body; rash, itching or hives on the skin).
This is a very serious side effect. You may need urgent medical attention or hospitalisation. This side effect is very rare.
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you notice anything else that is making you feel unwell.
Other side effects not listed above may occur in some people.
Some of these side effects (e.g. raised cholesterol levels) can only be found when your doctor does tests from time to time to check your progress.
After taking Hygroton 25
Storage
Keep your tablets in a cool dry place where the temperature stays below 30°C.
Do not store Hygroton 25 or any other medicine in the bathroom, near a sink. Do not leave it on a window sill or in the car.
Heat and dampness can destroy some medicines.
Keep it where children cannot reach it.
A locked cupboard at least one-and-a-half metres above the ground is a good place to store medicines.
Disposal
If your doctor tells you to stop taking Hygroton 25 or the expiry date has passed, ask your pharmacist what to do with any medicine that is left over.
Product description
What it looks like
Hygroton 25 tablets are pale orange, speckled, round flat tablets with bevelled edges. One side bears the imprint "CW" with a score line and there is nothing on the other side. Each bottle contains 50 tablets.
Ingredients
Hygroton 25 contains 25 mg of chlortalidone as the active ingredient.
It also contains:
colloidal anhydrous silica
lactose monohydrate
magnesium stearate
maize starch
purified talc
iron oxide yellow
iron oxide red
This medicine does not contain sucrose, gluten, preservatives, tartrazine or any other azo dyes.
