Micardis HCT is commonly prescribed for the treatment of high blood pressure (hypertension). The medication, which combines an angiotensin II receptor blocker and a diuretic, is more effective in lowering blood pressure than when either medicine is used alone. It comes in a tablet form that is usually taken once a day. Potential side effects of Micardis HCT include upper respiratory infection, dizziness, diarrhea, or fatigue.
Micardis HCT is manufactured by Boehringer Ingelheim.
How Does Micardis HCT Work?
Micardis HCT is a combination of two medicines -- Micardis
® and
hydrochlorothiazide. Micardis is a newer type of
blood pressure medicine known as an angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB for short). As the name implies, Micardis blocks angiotensin II receptors. This decreases the effectiveness of a chemical known as angiotensin II, which normally causes blood vessels to narrow (constrict). By blocking the effects of angiotensin II, Micardis causes blood vessels to relax.
Hydrochlorothiazide is a diuretic, which is commonly referred to as a "water pill." It works by increasing the amount of salt and water that the kidneys remove from the blood. This extra salt and water is passed out through the urine. By increasing the amount of water removed from the blood, hydrochlorothiazide causes a decrease in blood volume.
Because of its combined effects, Micardis HCT causes a greater drop in
blood pressure than when either medicine is used alone.
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