Indapamide
About
Indapamide belongs to a group of medicines “thiazide diuretic” primarily used for the treatment of hypertension (high blood pressure). Additionally, Indapamide is used to reduce the risk of heart failure and oedema (a build-up of fluid in the body). A Thiazide diuretic prevents the body from absorbing excessive salt that may cause fluid retention. Hypertension is a medical condition in which the blood exerts high pressure against the walls of blood vessels. Due to this, the heart has to work harder to pump the supply of blood in the whole body. Hypertension can put a person on severe health complications, including stroke, heart failure, heart attack, and aneurysm.
Indapamide contains Indapamide, and it is only available on prescription. It works by inhibiting the reabsorption of sodium in the body, resulting in an increase in chloride, sodium, and water excretion through urine. The shift in electrolytes and sodium levels reduces vascular resistance and makes the heart work normally. The production of diuresis and removal of excessive salt and fluid helps to lower blood pressure.
Indapamide is an orally administered drug. You can take Indapamide with food or without food. It should be swallowed whole with a glass of water. Do not chew, bite, or break it. Your doctor will advise you on how often you take your tablets based on your medical condition. Sometimes, you may experience dehydration, dizziness, headache, fatigue, nausea, itching, and abdominal pain. Most of these side effects of Indapamide do not require medical attention and gradually resolve over time. However, if the side effects are persistent, reach out to your doctor.
Indapamide should not be stopped even if you feel better without consulting your doctor, as stopping a sudden intake of Indapamide may worsen your condition and increase the risk of future heart problems. Indapamide may lower the potassium level in the body, so ask your doctor about how to add it to the diet. Please inform your doctor if you have had an allergic reaction to Indapamide, is pregnant or get pregnant, is breastfeeding, have gout, liver disease, kidney problems, heart failure, diabetes, a heart valve problem, or heart attack.
Uses of Indapamide
Medicinal Benefits
Indapamide is prescribed for treating high blood pressure. Being a diuretic medication, Indapamide enhances the excretion of sodium and water through urine by restricting sodium absorption in the nephron tubes. If high blood pressure is not controlled for a longer time, then arteries and the heart will not be able to function properly. This may further increase the chances of damage to brain blood vessels, resulting in heart attack and serious kidney failure. However, taking Indapamide at the right time can control the blood pressure and make the heart function properly.
Directions for Use
Storage
Side Effects of Indapamide
- Dizziness
- Blurred vision
- Fatigue
- Nausea
- Abdominal pain
- Dry mouth
- Headache
- Constipation
- Diarrhoea
- Itching
- Rashes
- Shortness of breath
In-Depth Precautions and Warning
Drug Warnings
Indapamide can increase the chances of light-headedness so rise slowly if you are sitting and avoid operating any machine or doing any work that needs mental alertness. Before taking Indapamide, tell the doctor if you have any allergies to the active and inactive ingredients present in it, have a history including anuria (kidneys aren't producing urine)/ renal dysfunction, fluid or electrolyte imbalance, liver disease, lupus erythematosus (an autoimmune inflammatory disease-causing scaly red patches on the skin), and asthma. Indapamide may lower down the potassium level in the body, so ask the doctor about how to add it to the diet. Indapamide should only be given during pregnancy when the doctor strongly suggests it. Indapamide could pass in the breast milk, so ask your doctor if you are a breastfeeding woman before taking it. Indapamide should not be given to children as safety has not been established.
Drug Interactions
Drug-Drug Interactions: Indapamide may interact with other diuretic medications (furosemide, torsemide), antihypertensive drugs (ramipril, amlodipine, baclofen, levodopa, clonidine), a medicine used to treat bipolar disorder (lithium, risperidone, amisulpride), painkillers (ibuprofen, naproxen), and blood thinners (warfarin).
Drug-Food Interactions: Indapamide can be taken with or without a meal. However, it should be taken early in the day and at the same time of day. It is best to avoid heavy meals with Indapamide as it will make medicine to work effectively. However, one should tell their doctor if they are using multi-minerals or any ayurvedic supplements. It is best to limit the intake of salt.
Drug-Disease Interactions: Indapamide can interact with certain diseases. Hence, it is advisable to tell the doctor about the past or current medical history including anuria (kidneys are not producing urine)/ renal dysfunction, fluid or electrolyte imbalance, liver disease, lumps erythematosus (an autoimmune inflammatory disease-causing scaly red patches on the skin), and asthma.
Drug-Drug Interactions Checker List:
Safety Advice
Alcohol
cautionIt is best to avoid or limit alcohol intake. Alcohol may aggravate the side effects and may cause a sudden drop in blood pressure and dizziness.
Pregnancy
cautionThe use of Indapamide is not allowed during pregnancy until or unless prescribed by the doctor. Indapamide can only be used during the pregnancy if the benefits of Indapamide are more than the risks.
Breast Feeding
cautionIndapamide tends to pass in the breast milk, so talk to your doctor before taking this medicine. A high dose of Indapamide may reduce milk production, so never take it without consulting with a doctor.
Driving
cautionIndapamide could make a person feel dizzy or drowsy. Therefore it is advised to avoid driving or doing any task that needs a clear vision.
Liver
cautionIndapamide should be taken with caution as this is a diuretic medicine, so if a person is already dealing with liver disease, then Indapamide may cause serious loss of potassium from the body resulting in vomiting or diarrhoea.
Kidney
cautionIndapamide could cause a high level of nitrogen in the body. If a person is having trouble urinating, then the doctor will not allow the usage of Indapamide. However, the use of Indapamide is contraindicated in patients whose kidneys cannot produce urine.
Children
cautionIndapamide is not approved in children younger than 18 years of age.
Habit Forming
Diet & Lifestyle Advise
- Consume antioxidant-rich food. Blueberries, cherries, tomatoes, squash, and bell peppers are high in antioxidants.
- Eat natural diuretic foods. Asparagus, beets, green beans, grapes, onion, leafy greens, pineapple, leeks, pumpkin, and garlic are all-natural diuretic foods.
- Use healthy cooking oils like soybean, olive, canola, and coconut oil.
- You should avoid refined foods such as white bread, spaghetti, sugar, and red meat.
- Reduce or eliminate Trans fatty acids, which are found in commercially baked items such as cookies, cakes, crackers, French fries, onion rings, doughnuts, and processed foods.
- Avoid consumption of too much salt or salty food.
- Keep your weight under control with a BMI of 19.5-24.9.
- Regular physical activity or exercise like walking improves your blood flow.
- When possible, elevate your legs or the swollen area on a chair or pillows.
- Avoid standing or sitting for extended periods of time.
- Avoid chronic stress as it can raise your blood pressure.
- Spend time with your loved ones to cope with stress and practice mindfulness techniques.
- Quitting smoking and alcohol consumption is the best strategy to lower the risk of many health complications.
Patients Concern
Disease/Condition Glossary
Hypertension: The blood exerts increased pressure on the walls of blood vessels leading to hypertension. High blood pressure is expressed as systolic/diastolic pressure. Systolic pressure is the pressure in the arteries when the heart beats or pumps out blood. Diastolic pressure is the pressure in the arteries between the heartbeats. Blood pressure is measured in millimetres of mercury (mmHg) by a blood pressure monitor called a sphygmomanometer. Some of the symptoms are headache, dizziness, nosebleeds, altered vision, chest pain, weakness, and shortness of breath. However, most of the time, the signs and symptoms of hypertension are none.
Oedema: Oedema, also known as fluid overload, occurs due to fluid build-up in spaces between the cells. Oedema can result from a variety of factors. Some oedema reasons are caused by your lifestyle, while an underlying medical problem causes others. Shortness of breath, chest pain (angina), abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmia), and swelling in hands or abdominal areas are the symptoms of oedema.
FAQs
Indapamide belongs to the group of medicines called diuretics that increase the amount of urine that is passed out from the kidneys. It effectively reduces excess fluid levels in the body and treats oedema (swelling) associated with heart, liver, kidney, or lung disease. This reduces the workload on the heart and makes the heart more efficient at pumping blood throughout the body. Thus, it helps to lower high blood pressure, reducing the chances of heart attack or stroke.
Unless suggested by the doctor, to take Indapamide in morning or night, one should fix a time slot, and they should take it regularly at the same time. However, one should avoid taking it at night time or just before bed as this medicine causes frequent urination. So, best to take it before 4 hours going to bed.
As hypertension is a serious medical issue, so taking Indapamide help to reduce the risk of heart disease and other serious conditions. So, one should not stop taking medicine without consulting with their doctor. However, depending upon the condition, the doctor will adjust the dosing.
Even if a person achieved their goal of bringing their blood pressure back to normal, they should not stop taking it without asking a doctor. Only after the doctor's recommendation, the dosage of Indapamide could be adjusted.
Yes, prolonged intake of Indapamide may decrease your potassium levels in the bloodstream. So, it is better to ask your doctor about foods high in potassium like bananas or orange juice. Besides this, consult a doctor regarding the use of table salt or sodium chloride, or salt substitute containing potassium.
Indapamide comes under the category of diuretics, so it is formulated to increase the amount of water in the body to expel the excessive sodium present in the body through urine. In this way, it helps to maintain normal blood pressure.
