Hydrochlorothiazide is used for:

Treating excess fluid buildup in the body caused by certain conditions or medicines. It may also be used to treat high blood pressure or other conditions as determined by your doctor.

Hydrochlorothiazide is a thiazide diuretic. It works by helping the kidneys eliminate fluid from your body. Exactly how Hydrochlorothiazide works to treat high blood pressure is unknown.

Do NOT use Hydrochlorothiazide if:

• you are allergic to any ingredient in Hydrochlorothiazide or to any other sulfonamide medicine (eg sulfamethoxazole, glyburide, acetazolamide)
• you are unable to urinate
• you are taking dofetilide or ketanserin

Contact your doctor or health care provider right away if any of these apply to you.

Before using Hydrochlorothiazide :

Some medical conditions may interact with Hydrochlorothiazide. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you have any medical conditions, especially if any of the following apply to you:

• if you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding
• if you are taking any prescription or nonprescription medicine, herbal preparation, or dietary supplement
• if you have allergies to medicines, foods, or other substances
• if you have gout, liver problems, lupus, kidney problems, diabetes, asthma, parathyroid problems, or high blood cholesterol or lipid levels
• if you have low blood sodium, chloride, potassium, or magnesium levels; or high blood calcium levels

Some MEDICINES MAY INTERACT with Hydrochlorothiazide. Tell your health care provider if you are taking any other medicines, especially any of the following:

• Cholestyramine, colestipol, or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicines (NSAIDs) (eg, ibuprofen) because they decrease the effectiveness of Hydrochlorothiazide
• Barbiturates (eg, phenobarbital), corticosteroids (eg, prednisone), narcotic pain medicines (eg, codeine, morphine, fentanyl), or medicines for high blood pressure because side effects of Hydrochlorothiazide may be increased
• Diazoxide or nondepolarizing muscle relaxants (eg, tubocurarine) because side effects may be increased by Hydrochlorothiazide
• Lithium because risk of toxicity may be increased by Hydrochlorothiazide
• Digoxin, dofetilide, or ketanserin because risk of irregular heartbeat may be increased by Hydrochlorothiazide
• Diabetes medicines (eg, glipizide, metformin), insulin, or pressor amines (eg, norepinephrine) because the effectiveness may be decreased by Hydrochlorothiazide

This may not be a complete list of all interactions that may occur. Ask your health care provider if Hydrochlorothiazide may interact with other medicines that you take. Check with your health care provider before you start, stop, or change the dose of any medicine.

How to use Hydrochlorothiazide :

Use Hydrochlorothiazide as directed by your doctor. Check the label on the medicine for exact dosing instructions.

• Hydrochlorothiazide may be taken with or without food.
• When you first start taking Hydrochlorothiazide , it may cause an increase in urine or in frequency of urination. To prevent this from affecting sleep, try not to take any dose later than 6 pm.
• If you miss a dose of Hydrochlorothiazide , take it as soon as possible. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not take 2 doses at once.

Ask your health care provider any questions you may have about how to use Hydrochlorothiazide.

Important safety information:

• Hydrochlorothiazide may cause dizziness. Do not drive, operate machinery, or do anything else that could be dangerous until you know how you react to Hydrochlorothiazide. Using Hydrochlorothiazide alone, with certain other medicines, or with alcohol may lessen your ability to drive or to perform other potentially dangerous tasks.
• Hydrochlorothiazide may cause dizziness, lightheadedness, or fainting. Alcohol, hot weather, exercise, and fever can increase these effects. To prevent them, sit up or stand slowly, especially in the morning. Also, sit or lie down at the first sign of dizziness, lightheadedness, or weakness.
• Before you have any medical or dental treatments, emergency care, or surgery, tell the doctor or dentist that you are using Hydrochlorothiazide.
• Hydrochlorothiazide may cause high blood sugar (eg, thirst, increased urination, confusion, drowsiness, flushing, rapid breathing, or fruity breath odor). If these symptoms occur, tell your doctor immediately.
• Your doctor may have also prescribed a potassium supplement for you. If so, follow the dosing carefully. Do not start taking additional potassium on your own or change your diet to include more potassium without first checking with your doctor.
• Hydrochlorothiazide may cause increased sensitivity to the sun. Avoid exposure to the sun, sunlamps, or tanning booths until you know how you react to Hydrochlorothiazide. Use a sunscreen or protective clothing if you must be outside for a prolonged period.
• Patients being treated for high blood pressure often feel tired or run down for a few weeks after beginning therapy. Continue taking your medication even though you may not feel quite "normal." Contact your doctor or pharmacist about any new symptoms.
• LAB TESTS, including kidney function, blood pressure, and blood electrolyte levels, may be performed to monitor your progress or to check for side effects. Be sure to keep all doctor and lab appointments.
• Use Hydrochlorothiazide with caution in the ELDERLY because they may be more sensitive to its effects.
• Hydrochlorothiazide is not recommended for use in CHILDREN; safety and effectiveness have not been confirmed.
• PREGNANCY and BREAST-FEEDING: If you become pregnant, discuss with your doctor the benefits and risks of using Hydrochlorothiazide during pregnancy. Hydrochlorothiazide is excreted in breast milk. Do not breast-feed while taking Hydrochlorothiazide.

Possible side effects of Hydrochlorothiazide :

All medicines may cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor, side effects. Check with your doctor if any of these most COMMON side effects persist or become bothersome:

Blurred vision; diarrhea; dizziness; drowsiness; inability to keep an erection; lightheadedness especially when sitting up or standing; loss of appetite; nausea; rash or itching; redness of the skin; uncontrolled muscle movement.

Seek medical attention right away if any of these SEVERE side effects occur:

Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); confusion; decrease in amount of urine; drowsiness; gout; inflammation of the pancreas; muscle pain or cramps; rapid or irregular heartbeat; restlessness; seizures; unusual thirst; unusual tiredness or weakness; unusually dry mouth; vomiting.

What is the shelf life of the pills?

• The expiry date is mentioned on each blister. It is different for different batches. The shelf life is 2 years from the date of manufacture and would differ from batch to batch depending on when they were manufactured.

Other Useful Information:

Radiation: 1. Rays of energy. Gamma rays and X-rays are two of the types of energy waves often used in medicine. 2. The use of energy waves to diagnose or treat disease.

Replantation: 1. Literally, the act of planting again. 2. In surgery, the restoration of any part of the body to its original site. Also known as reimplantation.

The Chinese surgeon Zhong Wei Chen (1929-2004) was the "father of replantation." Dr. Chen was the first to reattach a severed hand with success which he did in 1963. Dr. Chen also developed many microsurgical procedures including techniques for preserving severed extremities, reattaching amputated fingers and thumbs, reconstructing muscles and repairing nerves and blood vessels.

Rheumatism: Rheumatism is an older term, used to describe any of a number of painful conditions of muscles, tendons, joints, and bones.

Rheumatism conditions have been classified as either localized, regional, or generalized. Localized rheumatism conditions include bursitis and tendinitis. Regional rheumatism conditions include chest wall pain, temporomandibular joint pain, and myofascial pain syndromes. Generalized rheumatism conditions include fibromyalgia.

Another category of rheumatism is psychogenic rheumatism. With this term it is understood that the patient is reporting inconsistent pains of muscles and joints that do not correspond to true anatomy and physiology. The patient is felt to have underlying psychological causes for the symptoms.

Rheumatology: A subspecialty of internal medicine that involves the non-surgical evaluation and treatment of the rheumatic diseases and conditions. Rheumatic diseases and conditions are characterized by symptoms involving the musculoskeletal system. Many of the rheumatic diseases and conditions feature immune system abnormalities. Therefore, rheumatology also involves the study of the immune system. Classical rheumatology training includes 4 years of medical school, 1 year of internship in internal medicine, 2 years of internal medicine residency, and 2 years of rheumatology fellowship. There is a subspecialty board for rheumatology certification. The American College of Rheumatology is the official organization acting on behalf of the field of rheumatology in the United States.

T cell: A type of white blood cell that is of key importance to the immune system and is at the core of adaptive immunity, the system that tailors the body's immune response to specific pathogens. The T cells are like soldiers who search out and destroy the targeted invaders.

Immature T cells (termed T-stem cells) migrate to the thymus gland in the neck, where they mature and differentiate into various types of mature T cells and become active in the immune system in response to a hormone called thymosin and other factors. T-cells that are potentially activated against the body's own tissues are normally killed or changed ("down-regulated") during this maturational process.

There are several different types of mature T cells. Not all of their functions are known. T cells can produce substances called cytokines such as the interleukins which further stimulate the immune response. T-cell activation is measured as a way to assess the health of patients with HIV/AIDS and less frequently in other disorders.

T cell are also known as T lymphocytes. The "T" stands for "thymus" -- the organ in which these cells mature. As opposed to B cells which mature in the bone marrow.

Teleology: The study of the ultimate purpose of the design of something in nature.

For example, "what is the true purpose of the nose?" is a teleological question and, to say that all evolutionary changes occur for a definite purpose is a teleological explanation of evolution.

"Teleology" comes from ancient Greek roots but it (and teleological) did not enter English until the 18th century. It is a compound of the Greek "tele-, telos," meaning "end or purpose" + the ending "logos" meaning "the science or study of" = the study of the ends or purposes.

Testosterone: A "male hormone" -- a sex hormone produced by the testes that encourages the development of male sexual characteristics, stimulates the activity of the male secondary sex characteristics, and prevents changes in them following castration. Chemically, testosterone is 17-beta-hydroxy-4-androstene-3-one.

Testosterone is the most potent of the naturally occurring androgens. The androgens cause the development of male sex characteristics, such as a deep voice and a beard; they also strengthen muscle tone and bone mass.

High levels of testosterone appear to promote good health in men, for example, lowering the risks of high blood pressure and heart attack. High testosterone levels also correlate with risky behavior, however, including increased aggressiveness and smoking, which may cancel out these health benefits.

Testosterone may be given to treat medical conditions, including female (but not male) breast cancer, hypogonadism (low gonadal function) in the male, cryptorchism (nondescent of the testis into the scrotum), and menorrhagia (irregular periods).