What is the most important information I should know about telmisartan?
Do not use if you are pregnant, and tell your doctor right away if you become pregnant.
If you have diabetes, do not use telmisartan together with any medication that contains aliskiren (a blood pressure medicine).
What is telmisartan?
Telmisartan is used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension), sometimes in combination with other blood pressure medications.
Telmisartan is also used to reduce the risk of stroke, heart attack, or death from heart problems in people who are at least 55 years old with risk factors for serious heart disorders.
Telmisartan may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.
What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking telmisartan?
You should not use telmisartan if you are allergic to it.
If you have diabetes, do not use telmisartan together with any medication that contains aliskiren (a blood pressure medicine).
You may also need to avoid taking telmisartan with aliskiren if you have kidney disease.
Tell your doctor if you have ever had:
- heart problems;
- kidney disease (or if you are on dialysis);
- liver disease; or
- if you are on a low-salt diet.
Do not use if you are pregnant, and tell your doctor right away if you become pregnant. Telmisartan can cause injury or death to the unborn baby if you take the medicine during your second or third trimester.
If you plan to get pregnant, ask your doctor for a safer medicine to use before and during pregnancy.
You should not breast-feed while using this medicine.
How should I take telmisartan?
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 telmisartan with or without food.
Swallow the tablet whole and do not crush, chew, or break it.
Keep each tablet in its blister pack until you are ready to take it. Tear or cut the blister apart from the rest of the package and peel back the paper liner. Push the tablet through the foil to remove it.
Your blood pressure will need to be checked often.
You may have very low blood pressure while taking telmisartan. Call your doctor if you are sick with vomiting or diarrhea, or if you are sweating more than usual.
It may take 2 to 4 weeks before you receive the full benefit of taking telmisartan. Your doctor will determine how long to treat you with this medicine.
If you have high blood pressure, keep using this medicine even if you feel well. High blood pressure often has no symptoms. You may need to use blood pressure medicine for the rest of your life.
Store telmisartan tablets in their original package at room temperature, away from moisture and heat.
What happens if I miss a dose?
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?
Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.
What should I avoid while taking telmisartan?
Avoid getting up too fast from a sitting or lying position, or you may feel dizzy.
Do not use potassium supplements or salt substitutes, unless your doctor has told you to.
What are the possible side effects of telmisartan?
Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
In rare cases, telmisartan can cause a condition that results in the breakdown of skeletal muscle tissue, leading to kidney failure. Call your doctor right away if you have unexplained muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness especially if you also have fever, unusual tiredness, or dark colored urine.
Also call your doctor at once if you have:
- a light-headed feeling, like you might pass out;
- swelling, rapid weight gain; or
-
high potassium level --nausea, weakness, tingly feeling, chest pain, irregular heartbeats, loss of movement.
Common side effects may include:
- stuffy nose, sinus pain;
- back pain; or
- diarrhea.
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 other drugs will affect telmisartan?
Tell your doctor about all your other medicines, especially:
- digoxin;
- lithium;
- a diuretic or "water pill";
- NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs)--aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), naproxen (Aleve), celecoxib, diclofenac, indomethacin, or meloxicam, and others; or
- ramipril or other blood pressure medicines.
This list is not complete. Other drugs may affect telmisartan, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Not all possible drug interactions are listed here.
Where can I get more information?
Your pharmacist can provide more information about telmisartan.
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.
Copyright 1996-2020 Cerner Multum, Inc. Version: 9.01. Revision date: 12/3/2018.
