— Product
OLMEROS 40 TAB
OLMESARTAN MED 40MG
OLMEROS 40 TAB is a tablet of olmesartan medoxomil 40 mg, an angiotensin receptor blocker. It is used for hypertension at the higher strength, where 20 mg has not achieved the target blood pressure.
01
Benefits
- The 40 mg strength provides fuller blood pressure reduction where the lower dose is insufficient.
- 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.
- Once-daily dosing gives 24-hour control and supports adherence.
- Angiotensin blockade offers renal protection in hypertensive patients with diabetes or proteinuria.
02
Side effects
Not everyone gets these. Most are mild and settle as the course finishes.
Common
- Dizziness, particularly on standing
- 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
- 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.
- Contraindicated in breastfeeding and in bilateral renal artery stenosis.
- Do not combine with an ACE inhibitor or aliskiren.
- 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 long after starting.
- Use with caution alongside potassium supplements, potassium-sparing diuretics and NSAIDs.
- Risk of hypotension in volume-depleted patients — correct dehydration before starting or increasing the dose.
- Do not stop abruptly without advice.