Blood Pressure Drugs - Combined Medicines

Combined Alpha Blockers & Beta Blockers

Commonly prescribed brands:

Carvedilol

Labetalol

Coreg

Normodyne

How they are given:

• Oral

What they are used for:

• To treat high blood pressure

You should not be treated with them if:

• You have been diagnosed with:
  • Second- or third- degree heart block (a delayed or complete lack of electrical communication between the upper chambers of the heart and the lower chambers of the heart)
  • Asthma
  • Abnormally low heart rate
  • Cardiogenic shock (a damaged heart muscle that cannot pump properly causing a shock-like state)
  • Severe heart failure
  • You have a condition brought on by low blood pressure

Possible side effects:

• Excessive slowing of heartbeat, fatigue, depression, increased blood sugar and cholesterol levels

Pregnancy/nursing:

• The safety of these medications during pregnancy is unknown
• The safety of these medications during nursing is unknown. Labetalol can enter a woman's breast milk.

Combined Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (ACE) Inhibitors with Calcium Channel Blockers

Commonly prescribed brand:

Amlopidine & Benazepril

Lotrel

How they are given:

• Oral

What they are used for:

• To treat high blood pressure

You should not be treated with them if:

• You have a history of swelling beneath the skin ( angioedema) related to previous treatment with ACE inhibitor or of hereditary or unknown origin

Possible side effects:

• Cough, headache, dizziness, swelling (including angioedema and facial swelling)

Pregnancy/nursing:

• Pregnant women should not take Lotrel because it contains an ACE inhibitor, which can harm the fetus
• Women who are nursing should not take Lotrel because it contains an ACE inhibitor, which can harm the baby. If the treatment is essential, then nursing should be discontinued.

Combined Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (ACE) Inhibitors with Diuretics

Commonly prescribed types:

Benazepril & hydrochlorothiazide

Fosinopril sodium-hydrochlorothiazide

Lisinopril & Hydrochlorothiazide

Lotensin HCT

Monopril-HCT

Zestoretic

How they are given:

• Oral

What they are used for:

• To treat high blood pressure

You should not be treated with them if:

• You have a history of swelling beneath the skin (angioedema) related to previous treatment with ACE inhibitor or of hereditary or unknown origin
• You cannot produce urine

Possible side effects:

• Dizziness, headache, cough, fatigue

Pregnancy/nursing:

• Pregnant women should not take these drugs because they contain an ACE inhibitor, which can harm the fetus
• Women who are nursing should not take these drugs because they contain an ACE inhibitor, which can harm the baby. If the treatment is essential, then nursing should be discontinued.

Combined Angiotensin II Receptor Blockers (ARBs) with Diuretics

Commonly prescribed brands:

Losartan potassium
hydrochlorothiazide

Candesartan cilextil hydrochlorothiazide

Irbesartan hydrochlor-othiazide

Valsartan & hydrochlor-othiazide

Hyzaar

Atacand HCT

Avalide

Diovan HCT

How they are given:

• Oral

What they are used for:

• To treat high blood pressure

You should not be treated with them if:

• You cannot produce urine

Possible side effects:

• Upper respiratory infection, dizziness, cough

Pregnancy/nursing:

• Pregnant women should not take these drugs because they contain an ARB, which can harm the fetus
• Women who are nursing should not take these drugs because they contain an ARB, which can harm the baby. If the treatment is essential, then nursing should be discontinued.

Combined Beta Blockers with Diuretics

Commonly prescribed brands:

Bisoprolol fumarate & hydrochlorothiazide

Nadolol & bendroflumethiazide

Timolol maleate-hydrochlorothiazide

Ziac

Corzide<

Timolide

How they are given:

• Oral

What they are used for:

• To treat high blood pressure

You should not be treated with them if:

• You have been diagnosed with:
• Asthma or severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
• Abnormally low heart rate
• Second- and third-degree heart block (a delayed or complete lack of electrical communication between the upper chambers of the heart and the lower chambers of the heart)
• Heart failure
• Cardiogenic shock (a damaged heart muscle that cannot pump properly causing a shock-like state)
• You are unable to produce urine

Possible side effects:

• Fatigue, dizziness, excessive slowing of heartbeat, cough, shortness of breath

Pregnancy/nursing:

• The safety of these medications during pregnancy is unknown
• The safety of these drugs during nursing is unknown