Treats fluid retention (edema), high blood pressure, and other conditions such as low potassium levels in the blood (hypokalemia). This medicine is a diuretic ("water pill")
Brand Names:
Aldactone
Contraindications:
You should not use this medicine if you have had an allergic reaction to spironolactone, or if you have kidney disease, high levels of potassium in your blood (hyperkalemia), or if you are pregnant or unable to urinate. You should not use this medicine if you are also taking similar diuretics such as triamterene (Dyazide®, Dyrenium®, Maxzide®) or spironolactone (Aldactazide®, Aldactone®)
Uses:
Tablet
Your doctor will tell you how much of this medicine to take and how often. Do not take more medicine or take it more often than your doctor tells you to.
Carefully follow your doctor's instructions about any special diet.
If a dose is missed:
If you miss a dose or forget to take your medicine, take it as soon as you can. If it is almost time for your next dose, wait until then to take the medicine and skip the missed dose.
Do not use extra medicine to make up for a missed dose.
Storage:
Store the medicine at room temperature, away from heat, moisture, and direct light.
Ask your pharmacist, doctor, or health caregiver about the best way to dispose of any outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed.
Keep all medicine out of the reach of children and never share your medicine with anyone.
Special precautions:
Before taking, tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to any medications. tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking. tell your doctor if you have or have ever had heart failure or liver disease. tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding. If you become pregnant while taking, call your doctor
Make sure your doctor knows if you are also using cyclosporine (Neoral®, Sandimmune®), digoxin (Lanoxin®), lithium, potassium supplements, salt substitutes, triamterene (Dyrenium®), or other blood pressure medicine (such as Accupril®, Altace®, Capoten®, Lotensin®, Monopril®, Prinivil®, Univasc®, Vasotec®, Zestril®).
Do not drink alcohol while you are using this medicine.
Warnings:
Make sure your doctor knows if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, or if you have diabetes or menstrual problems.
This medicine may make you dizzy. Avoid driving, using machines, or doing anything else that could be dangerous if you are not alert.
Make sure any doctor or dentist who treats you knows that you are using this medicine.
Side Effects:
Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:
Confusion, weakness, irregular heartbeat, shortness of breath, numbness or tingling in hands, feet, or lips
Dry mouth, increased thirst, muscle cramps, nausea or vomiting
Fever, chills, cough, hoarseness
Problems urinating, pain in side or lower back
Skin rash or itching
Breast enlargement in men
Breast tenderness, changes in hair growth, irregular menstrual periods in women
Mild nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or stomach cramps
