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| Pronunciation |
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 (a
TEN oh lole & klor THAL i
done) |
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| Brand Names |
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| Tenoretic® |
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| Therapeutic
Categories |
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Antihypertensive Agent, Combination |
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| What is this medicine used
for? |
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- This medicine is used to treat high blood
pressure.
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| How does it work? |
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- Atenolol blocks chemicals such as adrenaline. It prevents them from
increasing heart rate, blood pressure, and oxygen use.
- Chlorthalidone lowers blood pressure. It gets rid of extra salt and
water in the body by acting on the
kidneys.
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| How is it best taken? |
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- Take with or without food. Take with food if this medicine causes an
upset stomach. Take early in the day to prevent getting up at night to use the
bathroom.
- Do not take antacids or calcium supplements less than 2 hours before
or 6 hours after this medicine.
- Do not suddenly stop using this medicine if you have been taking it
for a long time. Medicine should be slowly
decreased.
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| What do I do if I miss a
dose? |
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- Take a missed dose as soon as possible.
- If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed one. Return to
your regular schedule.
- Do not take a double dose or extra doses.
- Do not change dose or stop taking medicine without talking with
healthcare provider. This could be
dangerous.
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| What are the precautions when
taking this
medicine? |
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- Check medicines with healthcare provider, especially with amiodarone,
diltiazem, and verapamil.
- Wear disease medical alert identification for heart disease.
- It is dangerous to run out of this medication especially if you have
chest pain or pressure (angina) or a history of heart attacks. Get it refilled
today!
- Avoid alcohol (includes wine, beer, and liquor) and other medicines
and herbs that slow your actions and reactions. This includes sedatives,
tranquilizers, mood stabilizers, or pain medicine. Talk with healthcare
provider.
- Not for use in kidney disease. Talk with healthcare provider.
- Use caution if you have a weakened heart. Can worsen symptoms. Talk
with healthcare provider.
- If you are diabetic, use caution when low blood sugars are seen. This
medicine hides signs of low blood sugar except sweating. Talk with healthcare
provider.
- Do not use over-the-counter products that increase blood pressure.
These include cough or cold remedies, diet pills, stimulants, ibuprofen or like
products, and certain herbs or supplements. Talk with healthcare provider.
- Use caution if you have lung disease. This includes asthma, chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease, or if you are using an inhaler like albuterol or
ipratropium. This medicine can cause wheezing or shortness of breath.
- You can get sunburned more easily. Avoid lots of sun. Use sunscreen;
wear protective clothing and eyewear.
- Watch for gout attacks. If you have sudden pain in a single joint,
like the toe, talk with healthcare provider.
- Tell healthcare provider if you are allergic to any medicine. Make
sure to tell about the allergy and how it affected you. This includes telling
about rash; hives; itching; shortness of breath; wheezing; cough; swelling of
face, lips, tongue, throat; or any other symptoms involved.
- Tell healthcare provider if you are pregnant or plan on getting
pregnant.
- Do not use in pregnancy and do not get pregnant. Use birth control
that you can trust while taking this medicine.
- Tell healthcare provider if you are
breast-feeding.
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| What are the common side effects
of this
medicine? |
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- This medicine rarely has side effects but here are a few to look for.
- Feeling sleepy or lightheaded. Avoid driving, doing other tasks or
activities that require you to be alert until you see how this medicine affects
you.
- Dizziness is common. Rise slowly over several minutes from sitting or
lying position. Be careful climbing stairs.
- Low potassium. This may make you feel tired, weak, or have numbness
tingling, muscle cramps, constipation, vomiting, or rapid heartbeats. May
require taking extra potassium and/or eating foods rich in potassium. Talk with
healthcare provider.
- Change in sexual ability or desire. This can return to normal after
medicine is stopped. Talk with healthcare provider about other medicines without
this side effect.
- Slow heart rate (pulse) and/or low blood pressure. This may make you
feel lightheaded, dizzy, weak, and
tired.
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| What should I monitor? |
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- Watch for swelling of legs or belly, shortness of breath, weight gain,
exercise tolerance. If any of these worsen talk with healthcare provider.
- Report a 3-5 pound weight gain if you have heart failure.
- Check blood pressure and heart rate (pulse) regularly.
- Follow diet plan and exercise program as recommended by healthcare
provider.
- Check blood work (potassium). Talk with healthcare
provider.
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| Reasons to call healthcare
provider
immediately |
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- Signs of a life-threatening reaction. These include wheezing;
tightness in the chest; fever; itching; bad cough; blue skin color; fits;
swelling of face, lips, tongue, or throat.
- Too tired or sleepy.
- Passing out, fainting, dizziness, or lightheadedness.
- Chest pains, fast heartbeats, shortness of breath, or decreased
ability to walk.
- Signs of low potassium (see above). Can lead to serious heartbeat
problems.
- Any rash.
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| How should I store this
medicine? |
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- Store in a tight, light-resistant container at room
temperature.
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| General statements |
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- Do not share your medicine with others and do not take anyone else's
medicine.
- Keep all medicine out of the reach of children and pets.
- Keep a list of all your medicines (prescription, herbal/supplements,
vitamins, over-the-counter) with you. Give this list to healthcare provider
(doctor, nurse, pharmacist, physician assistant).
- Talk with healthcare provider before starting any new medicine,
including over-the-counter or natural products (herbs,
vitamins).
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