What is Telmisartan?
Telmisartan, sold under the brand name Micardis, among others, is a medicine used to treat high blood pressure, heart failure, and diabetic kidney disease. This is a reasonable initial treatment for high blood pressure. It's taken by the mouth.
Telmisartan Uses
This medicine is used for the treatment of high blood pressure (hypertension). Lowering high blood pressure helps prevent stroke, heart attack, and kidney problems. Telmisartan is a class of drugs known as angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs). It works by relaxing blood vessels so blood can flow more easily.
How to use Telmisartan?
Read the Patient Information given on the leaflet, if available from your pharmacist, before you start taking telmisartan and every time you are refilling it. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions.
Take this medicine by mouth with or without food as directed by your doctor, usually once a day.
The dose is totally based on your health, medical condition, and response to treatment.
Use this medicine regularly to make the most of it. To help you remember, take it every day at the same time. Keep taking this medicine even if you feel well. Most people with high blood pressure don't feel sick. For treating high blood pressure, it may take up to 4 weeks before you get the full benefit.
Telmisartan Side effects:
- Changes in vision
- Dizziness, lightheadedness, or fainting
- Fast heartbeat
- Large hives
- Painful urination or changes in urinary frequency
- Swelling in the hands
- Incidence not known
- Blurred vision
- Chest pain or discomfort
- Confusion
- Dark-colored urine
- Decreased urine output
- Dilated neck veins
- Extreme fatigue
- Flushing
- Hives or welts
- Hoarseness
- Irregular breathing
- Irritation
- Itching
- Joint pain, stiffness, or swellin
- Large hive-like swelling on the face
- Muscle cramps or stiffness
- Numbness
- Tingling sensation
- Pounding in the ears
- Rash
- Redness of the skin
- Slow, fast, or irregular heartbeat
- Sweating
- Swelling of the eyelids, face, or lips
Precautions
- Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to telmisartan; or if you have any other allergies. This product may contain inactive ingredients that may cause allergic reactions or other problems.
- Tell your doctor or pharmacist about your medical history before using this medicine, in particular: liver disease, bile duct blockage, high blood potassium levels in your blood (hyperkalemia), loss of too much body water and/or minerals (dehydration).
- You may get dizzy with this drug. Alcohol can make you feel dizzy. Don't drive, use machinery, or do anything that needs alertness until you can do it safely. Limit alcoholic beverages.
- Too much sweating, diarrhea, or vomiting may make you feel lightheaded. Tell your doctor about prolonged diarrhea or vomiting.
- This product may increase your potassium level. Consult your doctor or pharmacist before using potassium supplements or salt substitutes containing potassium.
- This medicine is not recommended for use during pregnancy. It could harm an unborn child. For more details, consult your doctor.
- It is not known if this drug is passed into breast milk. Before breastfeeding, consult your doctor.
Interactions
- Drug interactions may change the way your drugs work or increase your risk of serious side effects. This document does not include all possible drug interactions. Keep a list of all the products you use (including prescription/nonprescription drugs and herbal products) and share them with your doctor and pharmacist.
- Some products that might interact with this drug include ramipril, aliskiren, lithium, drugs that may increase potassium levels in the blood (such as ACE inhibitors including benazepril/lisinopril, drospirenone-containing birth control pills).
- Some products have ingredients that may increase your blood pressure or worsen your heart failure. INFORM your pharmacist what products you have been using and ask how to use them safely (especially cough and cold medicines, dietary aids, or NSAIDs such as ibuprofen or naproxen).
Overdose
If someone has overdosed and has serious symptoms such as passing out or difficulty breathing, call a poison control center right away.
Note
Do not share this medicine with others.
Laboratory and medical tests such as kidney function, potassium levels should be performed periodically to monitor progress or to check for side effects.
Lifestyle changes that may help this medicine to work better include stress reduction programs, exercise, and dietary changes.
Have your blood pressure checked regularly while taking this medicine. Learn how to monitor your own blood pressure at home and share your blood pressure result with the doctor
Missed Dose
If you by mistake miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember it. If it is near the next dose, skip the missed dose. Take your next dosage on a regular basis. Don't double your doses to catch up.
Storage
Store away from direct light and moisture at room temperature. Do not remove the medication from the blister pack until it is ready for use. If the medicine comes in a bottle, keep the container tightly closed. Don't store it in the bathroom. Keep all drugs away from children and pets.
Do not flush this medication down the toilet or pour it into the drainage until or unless instructed to do so. Discard this product properly when it has expired or is no longer needed. Please consult your pharmacist
Telmisartan vs Amlodipine
Telmisartan |
Amlodipine |
---|---|
Telmisartan is an oral and specific angiotensin II receptor (AT1 type), antagonist. | Amlodipine is a calcium channel blocker medication |
Formula: C33H30N4O2 | Molecular Formula: C20H25ClN2O5 |
Molar mass: 514.617 g/mol | Molar mass: 408.879 g/mol |
Brand name Micardis | This medication is available under different brand names. |
This medicine is used to treat high blood pressure, heart failure, and diabetic kidney disease. | This medication is used to treat high blood pressure and coronary artery disease. |