— Product
OLMEROS 20 TAB
OLMESARTAN MED 20MG
OLMEROS 20 TAB is a tablet of olmesartan medoxomil 20 mg, an angiotensin receptor blocker. It is used for the treatment of hypertension, lowering blood pressure by blocking the action of angiotensin II on blood vessels.
01
Benefits
- Blocks angiotensin II at the receptor, producing vasodilation and a sustained fall in blood pressure.
- Does not cause the dry cough associated with ACE inhibitors, which is a common reason patients stop those.
- Once-daily dosing gives 24-hour blood pressure control and supports adherence in a lifelong condition.
- Angiotensin blockade offers renal protection in hypertensive patients with diabetes or proteinuria.
- Generally well tolerated, with a side-effect profile close to placebo in most patients.
02
Side effects
Not everyone gets these. Most are mild and settle as the course finishes.
Common
- Dizziness, particularly on standing or after the first dose
- Headache
- Fatigue
- Nausea
Less common
- Rise in serum potassium
- Rise in serum creatinine
- Muscle or joint aches
- Diarrhoea
Stop and get medical help if any of these occur
- Swelling of the face, lips, tongue or throat, or difficulty breathing
- Fainting, or severe persistent dizziness
- Severe chronic diarrhoea with weight loss — olmesartan can cause a sprue-like enteropathy
- Muscle weakness or an irregular heartbeat, which may indicate high potassium
- A marked fall in urine output
03
Precautions
- Contraindicated in pregnancy. Drugs acting on the renin-angiotensin system cause fetal injury and death in the second and third trimesters — stop immediately if pregnancy is confirmed or planned.
- Contraindicated in breastfeeding and in bilateral renal artery stenosis.
- Do not combine with an ACE inhibitor or aliskiren — dual blockade increases the risk of hypotension, hyperkalaemia and renal failure without added benefit.
- Check renal function and serum potassium before starting and after any dose increase.
- Olmesartan can cause a severe sprue-like enteropathy with chronic diarrhoea and weight loss, sometimes months or years after starting. Consider it in any patient on olmesartan with unexplained chronic diarrhoea.
- Use with caution alongside potassium supplements, potassium-sparing diuretics and NSAIDs.
- Risk of first-dose hypotension in volume-depleted patients — correct dehydration before starting.
- Do not stop abruptly without advice; hypertension is usually lifelong and asymptomatic.