Brand Names: Benicar

Generic Name: olmesartan

What is olmesartan (Benicar)?
What are the possible side effects of olmesartan (Benicar)?
What is the most important information I should know about olmesartan (Benicar)?
What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking olmesartan (Benicar)?
How should I take olmesartan (Benicar)?
What happens if I miss a dose (Benicar)?
What happens if I overdose (Benicar)?
What should I avoid while taking olmesartan (Benicar)?
What other drugs will affect olmesartan (Benicar)?
Where can I get more information (Benicar)?

What is olmesartan (Benicar)?

Olmesartan is used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension) in adults. It is sometimes given together with other blood pressure medications.

Olmesartan may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

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Benicar 5 mg

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Olmesartan 20 mg 167290321

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Olmesartan 40 mg 167290322

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Olmesartan 5 mg 605054652

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What are the possible side effects of olmesartan (Benicar)?

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Call your doctor at once if you have:

a light-headed feeling, like you might pass out;
little or no urination;
fast heart rate;
swelling in your hands or feet; or
high potassium level--nausea, weakness, tingly feeling, chest pain, irregular heartbeats, loss of movement.

Common side effects may include:

dizziness.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

What is the most important information I should know about olmesartan (Benicar)?

Do not use if you are pregnant. Stop using olmesartan and tell your doctor right away if you become pregnant.

If you have diabetes, do not use olmesartan together with any medication that contains aliskiren (a blood pressure medicine).

What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking olmesartan (Benicar)?

You should not take olmesartan if you are allergic to it.

If you have diabetes, do not use olmesartan together with any medication that contains aliskiren (a blood pressure medicine).

You may also need to avoid taking olmesartan with aliskiren if you have kidney disease.

Tell your doctor if you have ever had:

liver disease;
congestive heart failure; or
if you are on a low salt diet.

Do not use if you are pregnant. If you become pregnant, stop taking this medicine and tell your doctor right away. Olmesartan can cause injury or death to the unborn baby if you take the medicine during your second or third trimester.

You should not breast-feed while using this medicine.

How should I take olmesartan (Benicar)?

Follow all directions on your prescription label and read all medication guides or instruction sheets. Your doctor may occasionally change your dose. Use the medicine exactly as directed.

You may take olmesartan with or without food.

Keep using this medicine as directed, even if you feel well. High blood pressure often has no symptoms. You may need to use blood pressure medication for the rest of your life.

You may have very low blood pressure while taking this medication. Call your doctor if you are sick with vomiting or diarrhea, or if you are sweating more than usual.

Your blood pressure will need to be checked often.

Store at room temperature away from moisture and heat.

SLIDESHOW

How to Lower Blood Pressure: Exercise Tips See Slideshow

What happens if I miss a dose (Benicar)?

Take the medicine as soon as you can, but skip the missed dose if it is almost time for your next dose. Do not take two doses at one time.

What happens if I overdose (Benicar)?

Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.

What should I avoid while taking olmesartan (Benicar)?

Drinking alcohol can increase certain side effects of olmesartan.

Avoid getting up too fast from a sitting or lying position, or you may feel dizzy.

What other drugs will affect olmesartan (Benicar)?

Tell your doctor about all your other medicines, especially a diuretic or other blood pressure medicines.

Other drugs may affect olmesartan, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Tell your doctor about all your current medicines and any medicine you start or stop using.

Where can I get more information (Benicar)?

Your pharmacist can provide more information about olmesartan.

Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed.

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

olmesartan (Benicar)