$96.36

OLMESARTAN

To help you remember to take your medicine, try to get into the habit of taking it at the same time each day.

In addition to the use of the medicine your doctor has prescribed, treatment for your high blood pressure may include weight control and care in the types of foods you eat, especially foods high in sodium. Your doctor will tell you which of these are most important for you. You should check with your doctor before changing your diet.

Many patients who have high blood pressure will not notice any signs of the problem. In fact, many may feel normal. It is very important that you take your medicine exactly as directed and that you keep your appointments with your doctor even if you feel well.

Remember that this medicine will not cure your high blood pressure but it does help control it. Therefore, you must continue to take it as directed if you expect to lower your blood pressure and keep it down. You may have to take high blood pressure medicine for the rest of your life . If high blood pressure is not treated, it can cause serious problems such as heart failure, blood vessel disease, stroke, or kidney disease.

This medicine may be taken with or without food.

Dosing

The dose of olmesartan will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of olmesartan. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.

The number of tablets that you take depends on the strength of the medicine.

• For oral dosage form (tablets):
  • For high blood pressure:
    • Adults 20 milligrams (mg) once a day. Your doctor may increase your dose to 40 milligrams (mg) once a day if needed.

Missed dose

If you miss a dose of this medicine, take it as soon as possible. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not double doses.

Storage

To store this medicine:

• Keep out of the reach of children.
• Store away from heat and direct light.
• Do not store in the bathroom, near the kitchen sink, or in other damp places. Heat or moisture may cause the medicine to break down.
• Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed. Be sure that any discarded medicine is out of the reach of children.

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For olmesartan, the following should be considered:

Allergies Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to olmesartan. Also tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Diet Make certain your health care professional knows if you are on any special diet, such as a low-sodium diet.

Pregnancy Use of olmesartan during pregnancy, especially during the second and third trimesters (after the first 3 months), can cause low blood pressure, severe kidney failure, or even death in the newborn. Therefore, it is important that you check with your doctor immediately if you think that you may have become pregnant. Be sure that you have discussed this with your doctor before taking this medicine.

Breast-feeding It is not known whether olmesartan passes into breast milk. However, olmesartan passes into the milk of lactating rats. Because this medicine may cause serious side effects, breast-feeding is generally not recommended while you are taking olmesartan.

Children Studies on this medicine have only been done in adult patients, and there is no specific information comparing the use of olmesartan in children with use in other age groups.

Older adults This medicine has been tested in patients 65 years of age or older and has not been shown to cause different side effects or problems in older people than it does in younger adults. Elderly patients may have a greater sensitivity to olmesartan than younger adults.

Other medicines Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking olmesartan it is especially important that your doctor and pharmacist know if you are taking any of the following:

• Diuretics (water pills) Effects on blood pressure may be increased

• Congestive heart failure, severe Lowering of blood pressure by olmesartan may make this condition worse

• Dehydration Blood pressure-lowering effects of olmesartan may be increased

• Kidney disease or
• Liver disease Effects of olmesartan may be increased because of slower removal of medicine from the body.