How does it work?

Telmisartan belongs to a group of medicines, called angiotensin II antagonists, which block angiotensin II receptors in the body and subsequently prevent a chemical called angiotensin II from working. Angiotensin II normally has two actions. Firstly, it encourages the narrowing of blood vessels and secondly, it acts on the kidney to reduce the amount of urine formed. As telmisartan blocks the action of angiotensin II, these actions are reversed. Therefore, more urine is produced by the kidneys, which results in less fluid in the blood vessels. The blood vessels also widen. The overall effect of these changes is a fall in blood pressure.

What is it used for?

High blood pressure with no known cause

Warning!

This medicine may cause fatigue and dizziness. If affected, caution is required when driving or operating machinery due to the possible reduction in physical and/or mental ability.

People with decreased kidney function should have regular blood tests to monitor the levels of potassium and creatinine in their blood while taking this medicine.

Alcohol may enhance the blood pressure lowering effect of this medicine, which may result in dizziness or fainting.

The safety of this medicine has not been established in children and adolescents under the age of 18.

People with high blood pressure due to high levels of the hormone aldosterone (primary hyperaldosteronism) do not generally respond to this type of blood pressure lowering medicine, and it is not recommended for these people.

This medicine may be less effective at lowering blood pressure in black people than in non-blacks.

Use with caution in

Decreased fluid volume in the body due to, eg diuretic therapy, low salt diet, kidney dialysis, diarrhoea, vomiting

Decreased kidney function

Diseases of the stomach and intestines

Heart disease caused by inadequate blood flow to the heart

Heart disease characterised by thickening of the internal heart muscle and a blockage inside the heart (hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy)

Heart valve disease

High levels of potassium in the blood (hyperkalaemia)

Kidney disease

Mild to moderately decreased liver function

Narrowing of the artery which supplies blood to the kidneys (renal artery stenosis)

Narrowing of the main artery of the body (aortic stenosis)

Severe heart failure

Not to be used in

Blockage of the bile duct (biliary obstruction)

Breastfeeding

Inherited intolerance to fructose in the diet

Pregnancy

Severely decreased kidney function

Severely decreased liver function

This medicine should not be used if you are allergic to one or any of its ingredients. Please inform your doctor or pharmacist if you have previously experienced such an allergy. If you feel you have experienced an allergic reaction, stop using this medicine and inform your doctor or pharmacist immediately.

Pregnancy and Breastfeeding

Certain medicines should not be used during pregnancy or breastfeeding. However, other medicines may be safely used in pregnancy or breastfeeding providing the benefits to the mother outweigh the risks to the unborn baby. Always inform your doctor if you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, before using any medicine.

This medicine should not be used during pregnancy as it may be harmful to the unborn baby. Seek medical advice from your doctor.

There is no information available about the safety of this medicine during breastfeeding. For this reason, the manufacturer states that it should not be used during breastfeeding. Seek medical advice from your doctor.

Side effects

Medicines and their possible side effects can affect individual people in different ways. The following are some of the side effects that are known to be associated with this medicine. Because a side effect is stated here, it does not mean that all people using this medicine will experience that or any side effect.

Abdominal pain

Diarrhoea

Drowsiness

Indigestion (dyspepsia)

Cold or flu-like symptoms

Back pain

Dizziness

Inflammation of the throat (pharyngitis)

Pain in the muscles (myalgia)

Upper airway infections

The side effects listed above may not include all of the side effects reported by the drug's manufacturer. For more information about any other possible risks associated with this medicine, please read the information provided with the medicine or consult your doctor or pharmacist.

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