SPIRONOLACTONE (AldactoneŽ) is a diuretic. Diuretics increase the amount of urine passed, which causes the body to lose water and salt. Spironolactone helps to treat high blood pressure (hypertension). It is not a cure. It also reduces the swelling and water retention caused by various medical conditions, such as heart, liver, or kidney disease
Spironolactone is a diuretic. It is used to treat hypertension. It may also be used to reduce the swelling and water retention caused by various medical conditions, such as heart, liver, or kidney disease. It may also be used to treat or prevent low blood potassium. It may also be used to treat excess secretion of the hormone aldosterone by the adrenal gland.
Tell your doctor if any of these apply to you:
you are pregnant, or planning to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding
you are allergic to Spironolactone, any other medicine, foods, dyes, preservatives, or other substances
you are unable to urinate, have severe kidney problems, or have high blood potassium levels
you are taking a potassium supplement, another potassium-sparing diuretic (eg, triamterene, amiloride), or another aldosterone-blocker (eg, eplerenone)
you have menstrual disesase
you are taking any prescription or nonpresciption medicine, dietary supplement, or herbal preparation
you have high acidity in your body fluids, low sodium levels in your blood, lung, liver or heart disesase
you have dibetes or high urea or nitrogen in your blood
How to use:
Strictly follow your doctor's instructions
Advert to Medication Guide if necessary
Take your doses at regular intervals
If you miss a dose, take it as soon as possible
Avoid taking double or extra doses
Safety issues:
Spironolactone may cause dizziness or drowsiness. Avoid driving, operating machinery, or performing other tasks that require mental alertness until you know how Spironolactone affects you.
Spironolactone can raise your body's potassium levels. This is more likely to occur in people with kidney problems, diabetes, in the elderly, or if the patient is severely ill. Potassium levels must be closely monitored in people with any of these problems or illnesses. If not treated, high potassium levels can be fatal.
Check with your doctor before you use a salt substitute or a product that has potassium in it.
If you experience these side effects, you should contact your doctor immediately:
unusual tiredness
severe allergic reactions
unusual muscle weakness
breast tenderness
slow, irregular, or fast heartbeat
deepening of voice
ulcers
skin rash
dry mouth
enlarged breasts in men
excessive thirst
irregular or lack of menstrual periods
These side effects usually don't require medical attention (but you should contact your doctor if they continue or are bothersome):
vomiting
abdominal cramping
nausea
change in sexual ability
frequent urination
clumsiness
headache
confusion
dizziness
drowsiness
diarrhea
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.
What is a generic pill?
Generic drug (pl. generic drugs, short: generics) is a drug which is produced and distributed without a brand name. A generic must contain the same active ingredients as the original formulation. In most cases, it is considered bioequivalent to the brand name counterpart with respect to pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties.
