contains the active ingredients hydrochlorothiazide and amiloride hydrochloride
CONSUMER MEDICINE INFORMATION
NOTICE: This Consumer Medicine Information (CMI) is intended for persons
living in Australia. This page contains answers to some common
questions about . It does
not contain all the information that is known about
. It does not take the
place of talking to your doctor or pharmacist. All medicines have risks
and benefits. Your doctor has weighed the risk of you using this medicine
against the benefits he/she expects it will have for you. If you have
any concerns about using this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Bookmark or print this page, you may need to read it again.
What Amizide is used for
Amizide is used to:
decrease swelling of the ankles, feet or legs, which is called oedema
reduce build up of fluid around the abdomen due to liver disease
lower high blood pressure (hypertension).
Amizide is a fluid tablet or diuretic. It helps reduce the amount of excess fluid in the body by increasing the amount of
urine produced, while at the same time, helping to maintain normal potassium levels in the blood. Some other fluid tablets
may lead to low levels of potassium.
Amizide works by making your kidneys pass more water and salt whilst retaining more potassium. This helps reduce high blood
pressure and some forms of swelling, while at the same time helping to maintain normal levels of potassium in your blood.
Amizide may be taken alone or in combination with other medicines to treat your condition.
Your doctor may have prescribed Amizide for another reason. Ask your doctor if you have any questions about why Amizide has
been prescribed for you.
Amizide is available only with a doctor's prescription.
There is no evidence that Amizide is addictive.
Before you take Amizide
When you must not take it
Do not take Amizide if you are allergic to medicines containing either amiloride or hydrochlorothiazide or any of the ingredients
listed at the end of this leaflet.
Do not take Amizide if you are allergic to medicines which contain sulfur (sulfonamides).
Hydrochlorothiazide, one of the active ingredients of Amizide, is a sulfur containing medicine. Therefore, if you are allergic
to sulfur medicines, such as certain antibiotics, you are likely to be allergic to Amizide. If you are not sure if you have
an allergy to sulfonamide medicines, check with your doctor or pharmacist.
Some of the symptoms of an allergic reaction may include skin rash, itching or hives, swelling of the face, lips or tongue
which may cause difficulty in swallowing or breathing, wheezing or shortness of breath.
Do not take Amizide if you have:
certain kidney problems
no production of urine
high potassium levels in your blood (hyperkalaemia), possibly due to a high potassium diet, taking potassium supplements,
or other potassium-sparing medication.
Do not take Amizide if you are pregnant or intend to become pregnant.
Like most diuretic medicines, Amizide is not recommended for use during pregnancy.
Do not take Amizide if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed.
Amizide passes into breast milk and may affect your baby.
Do not take Amizide if the expiry date (Exp.) printed on the pack has passed.
Do not take Amizide if the packaging shows signs of tampering or the tablets do not look quite right.
Do not give Amizide to children.
The safety of Amizide in children has not been established.
Before you start to take it
Tell your doctor if you are allergic to any other medicines, foods, dyes or preservatives.
Tell your doctor if you have, or have had, any medical conditions, especially the following:
diabetes
kidney problems
liver problems
heart and lung problems
gout or hyperuricaemia
systemic lupus erythematosus
high cholesterol levels.
Your doctor may want to take special care if you have any of these conditions.
If you have not told your doctor about any of the above, tell them before you start taking Amizide.
Taking other medicines
Tell your doctor if you are taking any other medicines, including any that you buy without a prescription from a pharmacy,
supermarket or health food shop.
Some medicines may be affected by Amizide, or may affect how well it works. These include:
preparations which contain potassium
angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and angiotensin receptor antagonists, a group of medicines used to treat high
blood pressure and some other heart conditions
cyclosporin, tacrolimus, medicines used to suppress the immune system
lithium, a medicine used in the treatment of mood swings
non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen, naproxen, diclofenac, indomethacin, medicines used to relieve
pain, swelling and other symptoms of inflammation including arthritis
barbiturates such as phenobarbitone, and carbamazepine, medicines used to treat epilepsy
strong pain killers such as codeine, morphine and dextropropoxyphene
insulin and tablets used to treat diabetes
corticosteroid medicines such as prednisone, dexmethasone
adrenaline, a medicine used in emergency situations such as an allergic reaction
cholestyramine, colestipol resins, medicines used to lower blood cholesterol levels
digoxin, a medicine used to treat heart failure
amantadine, an antiviral medication used to prevent or treat influenza; treating Parkinson's disease and relieving fatigue
in multiple sclerosis
dofetilide, an anti-arrhythmic agent used to treat irregular heartbeat patterns
drugs that prolong the QT interval (e.g. astemizole dofetilide, droperidol, pimozide, sotatol, terfenadine)
ephedrine, pseudoephedrine and ephedra, used as cold and flu remedies
liquorice
quinidine for those with a history of ventricular tachycardia.
allopurinol, for those with decreased renal function
amphotericin B, used to treat various fungal infections
anti-neoplastic drugs, used to treat some forms of cancer
beta-2 agonist, used to relieve asthma
calcium salts and calcitriol, used to treat and prevent low levels of calcium
propranolol, used to reduce high blood pressure
nondepolarising skeletal muscle relaxants (e.g. tubocurarine)
reboxetine, used to manage depression
antibiotics such as sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim
tetracyclines, used to treat infections.
Your doctor can tell you what to do if you are taking any of these medicines.
If you are not sure whether you are taking any of these medicines, check with your doctor or pharmacist.
Your doctor and pharmacist have more information on medicines to be careful with or avoid while taking Amizide.
How to take Amizide
How much to take
The usual dose is one or two tablets daily.
Your doctor may advise you to take a different dose. This depends on your condition and whether or not you are taking any
other medicines.
Your doctor may increase your dose if necessary. No more than four tablets a day should be taken.
Follow all directions given to you by your doctor and pharmacist carefully.
How to take Amizide
Swallow the tablets with a glass of water.
When to take Amizide
If you are taking Amizide once a day, take it in the morning, for example, at breakfast time.
Amizide takes about two hours to start working.
If you are taking more than one dose a day, take the last dose no later than 6 p.m, unless your doctor tells you otherwise.
Amizide may increase the amount of water (urine) you pass and also the number of times you go to the toilet. By taking the
last dose no later than 6 p.m there may be less chance of your sleep being disturbed.
If you forget to take Amizide
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 the missed dose as soon as you remember, and then go back to taking your tablets as you would normally.
Do not take a double dose to make up for the dose you missed.
If you are not sure what to do, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
If you have any questions about this, check with your doctor or pharmacist.
How long to take Amizide for
It is important to take Amizide every day as it helps control your condition and lower the fluid build up in your body.
Keep taking Amizide for as long as your doctor recommends.
If you take too much Amizide (overdose)
Immediately telephone your doctor, or the Poisons Information Centre (telephone 13 11 26), or go to Accident and Emergency
at the nearest hospital, if you think you or anyone else may have taken too much Amizide. Do this even if there are no signs
of discomfort or poisoning.
You may need urgent medical attention.
If you take too much Amizide, you may feel thirsty, tired, confused, dizzy, nausea, vomiting, have muscle cramps and a very
fast heart rate.
While you are taking Amizide
Things you must do
Before starting any new medicine, tell your doctor or pharmacist that you are taking Amizide.
Tell all the doctors, dentists and pharmacists who are treating you that you are taking Amizide.
If you become pregnant while taking Amizide, tell your doctor immediately.
Tell your doctor if you have any of the following symptoms:
excessive vomiting or diarrhoea
dry mouth, thirst
weakness, tiredness, drowsiness
muscle pain or cramps
fast heart beat
passing less urine than normal.
You may be dehydrated from losing too much water if you experience any of these symptoms.
If you plan to have surgery, including dental surgery, which needs a general anaesthetic, tell your doctor or dentist that
you are taking Amizide.
If you have to have any blood tests, tell your doctor that you are taking Amizide.
Amizide may affect the results of some tests.
Visit your doctor regularly so they can check on your progress.
Your doctor check may want to check your blood pressure and potassium levels regularly to make sure Amizide is working properly.
Things you must not do
Do not stop taking Amizide, or change the dose, without checking with your doctor.
Do not use Amizide to treat any other conditions unless your doctor tells you to.
Do not give Amizide to anyone else, even if they have the same condition as you.
Things to be careful of
Be careful driving or operating machinery until you know how Amizide affects you.
Amizide may cause drowsiness, dizziness or lightheadedness in some people. If any of these occur, do not drive, operate machinery
or do anything else that could be dangerous.
Be careful getting up from a sitting or lying position.
Dizziness, lightheadedness or fainting may occur, especially when you get up quickly. Getting up slowly may help. If this
problem gets worse or continues, talk to your doctor.
Be careful when drinking alcohol or taking strong pain killers while taking Amizide.
Combining Amizide with alcohol or strong pain killers can make you more dizzy or lightheaded.
Be aware of foods or drinks that have a high potassium content.
Amizide helps to maintain normal potassium levels in your body. However, if you eat foods or have drinks that are high in
potassium this may lead to an increase of potassium in your body. Too much potassium can be harmful, therefore it is important
to discuss your diet with your doctor or pharmacist.
Monitor your blood sugar levels carefully if you are a diabetic.
Amizide may change how well your diabetes is controlled. Your doses of diabetic medicines, including insulin, may need to
change.
Side effects
Tell your doctor or pharmacist as soon as possible if you do not feel well while you are taking Amizide.
Like all other medicines, Amizide may have unwanted side effects in some people. Sometimes they are serious, most of the
time they are not. You may need medical treatment if you get some of the side effects.
Do not be alarmed by this list of possible 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 and they worry you:
dizziness or light-headedness
drowsiness, lack of energy
nausea, vomiting, change in appetite
diarrhoea or constipation
stomach discomfort or fullness
passing wind
bad taste in the mouth, visual disturbances, nasal congestion
impotence
headache.
Tell your doctor as soon as possible if you notice any of the following:
very dry mouth or unusual thirst
muscle pain or cramps, swollen or painful joints
numbness or tingling in the hands or feet
irregular or very fast heart beat
chest pain
mental confusion
pain when passing urine, loss of control of your bladder or bowels
yellowing of the skin or eyes (jaundice)
signs of frequent infections such as fever, severe chills, sore throat or mouth ulcers
bruising or bleeding more easily than normal.
Tell your doctor immediately or go to Accident and Emergency at the nearest hospital if you notice any of the following:
rash, itching or hives
swelling of the face, lips, tongue or other parts of the body, shortness of breath, wheezing or trouble breathing
fits or seizures
vomiting blood or material that looks like coffee grounds
bleeding from the back passage, black, sticky bowel motions (stools) or bloody diarrhoea.
Other side effects not listed above may also occur in some patients. Tell your doctor if you notice anything that is making
you feel unwell.
After taking Amizide
Storage
Keep Amizide 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.
Keep your tablets in the bottle until it is time to take them.
If you take the tablets out of the bottle they may not keep well.
Keep your tablets in a cool dry place where the temperature stays below 30 degrees C.
Do not store Amizide or any other medicine in the bathroom or near a sink.
Do not leave Amizide in the car or on window sills.
Heat and dampness can destroy some medicines.
Disposal
If your doctor tells you to stop taking Amizide, or your tablets have passed their expiry date, ask your pharmacist what to
do with any that are left over.
Product description
What it looks like
Amizide is a round, off-white, scored tablet marked H|A on one side and a Greek Alpha symbol on the reverse.
Each pack contains 50 tablets.
Ingredients
Amizide contains two active ingredients:
hydrochlorothiazide 50 mg
amiloride hydrochloride 5 mg.
The tablets also contain:
lactose
starch - wheat
povidone
sodium starch glycollate
magnesium stearate.
Manufacturer
Amizide is made in Australia by:
Alphapharm Pty Limited
(ABN 93 002 359 739)
Chase Building 2
Wentworth Park Road
Glebe NSW 2037
Phone: (02) 9298 3999
Medical Information
Phone: 1800 028 365
Australian registration numbers:
Amizide - Aust R 17702
This leaflet was prepared on 9 September 2005.