Health Centres - Olmetec (olmesartan)
How does it work?
Olmetec tablets contain the active ingredient olmesartan, which is a type of medicine called an angiotensin II receptor antagonist. It works by preventing the action of a hormone in the body called angiotensin II.
Angiotensin II normally acts on special receptors in the body, with two main results. Firstly, it causes the peripheral blood vessels to narrow, and secondly, it stimulates the production of another hormone called aldosterone. Aldosterone causes salt and water to be retained by the kidneys, which increases the volume of fluid in the blood vessels.
Olmesartan blocks the receptors that angiotensin II acts on, and so prevents its actions. The main result of this is that the peripheral blood vessels are allowed to widen, which means that there is more space and less resistance in these blood vessels. This is the main mechanism by which the pressure in the blood vessels is lowered.
Blocking the actions of angiotensin II also reduces the action of aldosterone on the kidneys. The result of this is an increase in the amount of fluid removed from the blood by the kidneys. This decreases the amount of fluid in the blood vessels, which also lessens the resistance and pressure in the blood vessels.
The combined overall effect of these changes is to lower the blood pressure.
What is it used for?
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High blood pressure with no known cause.
Warning!
- Dizziness and weariness may occasionally occur during treatment with blood pressure lowering medicines. If you are affected, you should take care when driving or operating machinery.
- People with decreased kidney function should have regular blood tests to monitor their kidney function and level of potassium in their blood while taking this medicine.
- People with heart failure should have regular blood tests to monitor the level of potassium in their blood while taking this medicine.
- People with high blood pressure caused by 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.
Use with caution in
- Elderly people.
- People with low fluid volume or salt levels in the body, eg due to diuretic therapy, low-sodium diet, diarrhoea or vomiting.
- Decreased liver function.
- Decreased kidney function.
- Kidney disease.
- Narrowing of the arteries that supply blood to the kidneys (renal artery stenosis).
-
Narrowing of the arteries in the heart or brain.
- Narrowing of the main artery that leaves the heart to supply blood to the body (aortic stenosis).
-
Narrowing of one of the valves in the heart.
- Heart disease characterised by thickening of the internal heart muscle and a blockage inside the heart (hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy)
- Severe heart failure.
Not to be used in
-
Blockage of the bile ducts (biliary obstruction).
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.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
- This medicine should not be used in pregnancy, particularly in the second and third trimesters, as it may be harmful to the unborn baby. Seek further medical advice from your doctor. If you get pregnant while taking this medicine, stop taking it and consult your doctor immediately.
Side effects
- Dizziness.
The side effects listed above may not include all of the side effects reported by the drug's manufacturer.
- Pregnancy.
- Breastfeeding.
- Rare hereditary problems of galactose intolerance, the Lapp-lactase deficiency or glucose-galactose malabsorption (Olmetec tablets contain lactose).
- This medicine is not recommended for people with severely decreased liver function or kidney function.
- This medicine is not recommended for children and adolescents under 18 years of age, as there is no information regarding its safety and efficacy in this age group.
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.
- It is not known whether this medicine passes into breast milk. Mothers who need to take this medicine should not breastfeed. Seek medical advice from your doctor.
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. Just because a side effect is stated here does not mean that all people using this medicine will experience that or any side effect.
- Disturbances of the gut such as nausea, vomiting, indigestion, diarrhoea or abdominal pain.
- Fatigue.
- Swelling of the legs and ankles due to excess fluid retention (peripheral oedema).
- Cold or flu-like symptoms.
- Chest pain.
- Inflammation of the lining of the nose (rhinitis) causing a blocked or runny nose.
- Inflammation of the throat (pharyngitis).
- Bronchitis.
- Cough.
- Back pain.
- Arthritis.
- Blood in the urine (haematuria).
- Urinary tract infection.
- Rash.
- Balance problems involving the inner ear (vertigo).
- Alteration in results of liver function tests.
- Increased level of uric acid in the blood (hyperuricaemia).
- Increased levels of triglycerides in the blood (hypertriglyceridaemia).
- Increased level of potassium in the blood (hyperkalaemia).
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