Indapamide: Price, Dosage & Where to Buy

Indapamide is a diuretic, a medicine that helps the body remove salt and water, used mainly to treat high blood pressure. It may be prescribed on its own or alongside other blood pressure medicines, and it also treats fluid retention linked to congestive heart failure. Indapamide requires a prescription in the United Kingdom and is available as a generic medicine.

Indapamide treats high blood pressure, also called hypertension. The label allows its use on its own or together with other medicines that lower blood pressure. It also treats salt and fluid retention associated with congestive heart failure.

This means a build-up of fluid linked to the heart condition, rather than swelling from any cause. The label distinguishes fluid retention caused by illness during pregnancy from the swelling that can occur as a normal part of pregnancy. Routine use of diuretics in an otherwise healthy pregnant woman is not appropriate.

Indapamide is a diuretic, sometimes called a water tablet. Diuretics act on the kidneys, helping more salt leave the body in urine. Water follows the salt, so the body loses some of the fluid it has been holding.

This helps reduce fluid build-up and can lower blood pressure. Medicines of this type can also affect the balance of salts in the blood, including sodium and potassium. These salts help muscles, nerves and the heart work normally, which explains why monitoring them matters during treatment.

The label lists oral tablets and film-coated oral tablets in strengths of 1.25 mg and 2.5 mg. The usual starting dose is 1.25 mg as a single daily morning dose for adults with high blood pressure. The label lists an increase to 2.5 mg once daily if the response is unsatisfactory after four weeks, followed by a possible increase to 5 mg once daily after a further four weeks.

The usual starting dose is 2.5 mg as a single daily morning dose for fluid retention associated with congestive heart failure. The label lists a possible increase to 5 mg once daily if the response is unsatisfactory after one week.

The label lists 5 mg and larger doses as generally offering no additional effect on blood pressure or heart failure, while causing greater potassium loss. Combination treatment requires careful blood pressure monitoring and may involve adjustments to other blood pressure medicines.

A missed dose can interrupt the regular effect of a diuretic. General pharmacy advice is to resume the usual schedule if the next dose is nearly due, rather than doubling a dose to make up for it. A pharmacist can advise if there is uncertainty about a missed dose.

The label states that indapamide should be used during pregnancy only if clearly needed. Animal studies found no evidence of harm to the fetus, but there are no adequate, well-controlled studies in pregnant women. Diuretics cross the placenta.

Possible hazards include jaundice and low platelet levels in the fetus or newborn. Routine diuretic use in an otherwise healthy pregnant woman is inappropriate. The label does not specify breastfeeding information; discuss this with a doctor or pharmacist.

The label specifies storage at 20° to 25°C. Keep the container tightly closed and avoid excessive heat. A tight, light-resistant container is specified to maintain quality.