Generic Benicar HCT i.e. Olmesartan and hydrochlorothiazide is a combination of Olmesartan and Hydrochlorothiazide. Olmesartan is in a group of drugs called angiotensin II receptor antagonists. The main function of Olmesartan is to keep blood vessels from narrowing, which lowers blood pressure and improves blood flow. And Hydrochlorothiazide is a thiazide diuretic i.e. water pill that helps prevent your body from absorbing too much salt, which can cause fluid retention. Moreover, the combination of Olmesartan and hydrochlorothiazide is used to treat high blood pressure i.e. hypertension.

However, before taking Olmesartan and hydrochlorothiazide i.e. Benicar HCT medication, ask your pharmacist or doctor for a copy of the manufacturer’s information for the patient and read it carefully. Talk to your doctor about all the possible risks of taking Benicar HCT medication. However, Benicar HCT may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide. Hence, for more information, consult your doctor and your medical pharmacist.

Follow the directions given by the doctor exactly for the usage of the Benicar HCT i.e. Olmesartan and hydrochlorothiazide medication and also read the prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand.

Remember: Contact your pediatrician regarding the use of this medicine in children.

Continue to take Olmesartan and hydrochlorothiazide even if you feel well. Do not stop taking Olmesartan and hydrochlorothiazide without talking to your doctor.

If you notice any of the symptoms, which seem severe or persistent to you, please contact your doctor immediately. However, your doctor may need to monitor you carefully for side effects and alter the doses if necessary.

The most common side effect noted are: dizziness, unusual rashes, bleeding/bruising difficulty in breathing, difficulty in swallowing, hoarseness/tightening of the throat redness/blistering/peeling/loosening of the skin including inside the mouth, vomiting, worsened gout pain, yellowing of the eyes/skin, pinpoint red spots on the skin,
confusion, swelling of your face/lips/tongue/hands/feet, light-headedness/fainting spells, decreased amount of urine passed, decreased sexual function, fast/irregular heart beat/palpitations/chest pain, fever/chills, muscle cramps/pain, stomach pain, unusual tiredness/weakness etc.

Inform your doctor if you experience any of these side effects or some new side effects occur which appear too bothersome to you.

Inform your doctor if you are allergic to the formulation of this medication or any other medication in any other form and also inform your doctor about any other medication you may be taking in any other form, as they may affect the way your medicine works.

However, Olmesartan and hydrochlorothiazide may interact with: dofetilide, drospirenone, ethinyl estradiol, griseofulvin, hawthorn i.e. horse chestnut,
lithium, allopurinol, anti-inflammatory drugs, blood pressure medications,
calcium supplements, water pills, vitamin A-related creams/pills/supplements, some medicines for mental disorders which increase sensitivity to sunlight, some cholesterol-lowering medications, some antibiotics which increase sensitivity to sunlight, medicines for diabetes, monoamine oxidase inhibitors, potassium salts/supplements, prochlorperazine etc.

Moreover, Benicar HCT i.e. Olmesartan and hydrochlorothiazide may also interact with some kind of foods, varied medications, herbal products, nutritional supplements, vitamins, other OTC medicines, some vaccinations etc. Acquire more information about the interactions of the Benicar HCT medication from your doctor and the medical pharmacists.

In case of overdose call your local poison control center at 1-800-222-1222.
If the suffering patient has collapsed or is not breathing call local emergency services at 911. Canadian residents should call their local poison control center directly.

Do not allow any other person to use your medication without getting doctor’s prescription themselves and also avoid using this medicine for other health conditions on your own. Keep the medicine away from the children and pets.

Also inform your doctor, if you are pregnant or are breast feeding. If you conceive during the course, inform your doctor immediately. Do not share your medicines with anyone, even if they have the same symptoms, for it may harm them. Do not begin, increase, decrease, or stop using this medicine on your own. In short discuss your complete medical history with your doctor, before taking the medicine.

Remember, it is very important to keep regular appointments with your doctor to study the way your body is responding to the course. And if you are going to have a surgery, tell your health care professional that you are using Benicar HCT medication.
Carry with you at all times an ID card mentioning your name, the medicine you are taking, the dosage, the name of the person and your health care professional they should call in case of an emergency. Keep all appointments with your doctor and the laboratory and keep regular checks ups.

Also avoid alcohol and alcohol containing beverages whilst on a course with this medication.

And in case, if you wish to use the medicine in children, please contact your pediatrician for sure before its use.

If you missed the Benicar HCT i.e. Olmesartan and hydrochlorothiazide medication dose, do take the medicine immediately provided that there is ample of time in between the next dose. However, if it is almost time for the next dose skip the missed dose and continue your regular dosing schedule. Never double your doses to cope up with the missed. And in case, if you miss your one or two consecutive doses consult to your doctor or physician for guidance and continue further.

Generic Benicar HCT i.e. Olmesartan and hydrochlorothiazide medication is used to treat high blood pressure i.e. hypertension.
However, it may also be used to treat some other medical conditions which may be determined by your doctor accordingly and consult a pediatrician for the use of this medication in children.

The generic Benicar HCT i.e. Olmesartan and hydrochlorothiazide medication may be prescribed for other uses also and hence ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information about the Benicar HCT i.e. Olmesartan and hydrochlorothiazide medication.

Store generic Benicar HCT i.e. Olmesartan and hydrochlorothiazide, at room temperature in between 20-25°C and 68-77°F in a cool and dry place. Keep the medicine in the container, it came in and always keep it tightly closed. Check Expiry date without fail. Keep all medicines away from women, newborns, children and pets. Do not freeze in any case. Also, keep it away from heat, dampness and direct light. Heat or moisture may cause the medicine to break down. When the medicine is not in use or outdated it should be discarded. Take help of your pharmacist in disposing this medicine properly. In any case, do not store the Benicar HCT medication in the bathroom.

Following precautions must be taken during consuming generic Benicar HCT i.e. Olmesartan and hydrochlorothiazide:

1. Inform your doctor if you have or have ever had: kidney disease, lung disease, liver disease, heart disease, diabetes, low or high blood pressure, asthma, heart attack, diabetes mellitus, electrolyte imbalance, autoimmune disease/suppressed immune function, pancreatitis, serious injury/infection or any other severe disease etc. Also inform, if you drink alcoholic beverages or are a tobacco smoker etc. Or if you are on a special diet i.e. such as using potassium substitutes, previous swelling of the tongue/face/lips with difficulty breathing/difficulty in swallowing/hoarseness/tightening of the throat, gout, heart/blood vessel disease, recent heart attack/stroke etc.

2. Also acknowledge your doctor if you need to undergo any kind of surgery, including dental surgery or need an x-ray procedure that uses contrast agents. So, inform your doctors immediately about it, so that the doctor can decide whether to continue taking Benicar HCT medication or stop it during the surgery.

3. Let the doctor also know, if you are in-taking or are planning to take any prescribed or non prescribed medicines, health supplements or any other OTC medications, vitamins etc.

4. Do not use the Benicar HCT i.e. Olmesartan and hydrochlorothiazide medication, if you have any kind of allergy to it or to any ingredients of it and tell your doctor or pharmacist about the allergy and get treated.

5. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or breast feeding before taking Benicar HCT medication. Hence also, inform your doctor immediately when you plan to conceive, or become pregnant during the course. This is necessary as, the Olmesartan and hydrochlorothiazide medication may harm the fetus.

6. Do not share the drug with others unless they are prescribed by the doctor themselves. And if your symptoms of side effects do not improve in few weeks or if they become worse and bothersome, check these conditions immediately with your doctor.

7. Please, use the Benicar HCT medicine in the prescribed amount and do not overdose it or use it for the longer period of time. Do not discontinue on your own and consult your doctor before doing so to avoid further problems.

8. Regularly, keep your appointments with your doctor and keep an eye on the progress or side effects that has been noticed during the complete course.

9. Also, avoid smoking and consuming alcohol and alcohol containing beverages during the complete course to achieve good results.

10. For more information, contact your doctor and your pharmacists and also discuss the risks and benefits of the generic Benicar HCT.