Eprosartan mesilate and hydrochlorothiazide
Consumer Medicine Information (CMI)
What is in this leaflet
This leaflet answers some common questions about Teveten Plus.
It does not contain all the available information. It does not take the place of talking to your doctor or pharmacist.
All medicines have risks and benefits. Your doctor has weighed the risks of you taking Teveten Plus against the benefits they expect it will have for you.
If you have any concerns about taking this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Keep this leaflet with the medicine.
You may need to read it again.
What Teveten Plus is used for
Teveten Plus lowers high blood pressure, which doctors call hypertension.
There are usually no symptoms of hypertension. The only way of knowing if you have hypertension is to have your blood pressure checked regularly. If high blood pressure is not treated it can lead to serious health problems, including stroke, heart disease and kidney failure.
Teveten Plus contains two active ingredients, eprosartan and hydrochlorothiazide, both of which act in different ways to lower your blood pressure.
Eprosartan belongs to a group of medicines called angiotensin-II receptor antagonists. Eprosartan works by blocking the action of a substance called angiotensin II. As a result it helps relax the blood vessels and helps lower your blood pressure.
Hydrochlorothiazide belongs to a group of medicines known as diuretics, or water (fluid) tablets. It works by making your kidneys pass more water and salt. This helps reduce high blood pressure and some forms of swelling.
Ask your doctor if you have any questions about why Teveten Plus has been prescribed for you.
Your doctor may have prescribed it for another use.
There is no evidence that this medicine is addictive.
Teveten Plus is only available with a doctor's prescription.
Teveten Plus is not recommended for use in children.
The safety and effectiveness of this medicine in children has not been established.
Before you take it
When you must not take it
Do not take Teveten Plus if you are allergic to it, to any of the ingredients listed at the end of this leaflet or to sulfonamide drugs.
Signs of an allergic reaction may include itchy skin, rash, shortness of breath and swelling of the face or tongue
Do not take Teveten Plus if you are pregnant, or think you may be pregnant.
Do not take Teveten Plus if you are breast feeding or wish to breast feed.
Do not take Teveten Plus if you have severe liver or kidney problems.
Do not take Teveten Plus if you have any gall bladder or bile duct problems.
Do not take Teveten Plus if you have gout.
Do not take Teveten Plus if you have diabetes or kidney problems and you are taking aliskiren (a medicine used to treat high blood pressure).
Do not take Teveten Plus if you have any electrolyte disturbances
Do not take Teveten Plus if the expiry date (EXP) printed on the pack has passed.
If you take it after the expiry date has passed, it may not work as well.
Do not take Teveten Plus if the packaging is torn or shows signs of tampering, or if the tablets show any signs of visual deterioration.
Before you start to take it
Tell your doctor if:
you have had an allergic reaction to any medicine that you have taken previously to treat your high blood pressure
you have any allergies to any other medicines or any other substances, such as foods, preservatives or dyes
you are or have been taking diuretics or water (fluid) tablets
you are pregnant or intend to become pregnant
you are breast-feeding or intend to breast-feed.
you have recently experienced excessive vomiting or diarrhoea
you are on a salt restricted diet
you have a condition known as primary hyperaldosteronism
you have, or have had, any other medical conditions, including but not limited to:
liver or kidney problems
heart problems
diabetes
gout
lupus erythematosus, a skin and tissue disease
If you have not told your doctor about any of the above, tell them before you take Teveten Plus.
Taking other medicines
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any other medicines, including any that you buy without a prescription from your pharmacy, supermarket or health food shop.
Some medicines and Teveten Plus may interfere with each other. These include but are not limited to:
other high blood pressure medicines, especially ACE inhibitors, medicines that contain aliskiren, or diuretics (water or (fluid tablets).
medicines affecting potassium levels.
non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), medicines used to relive pain, swelling and other symptoms of inflammation.
diabetes medication
heart medication
gout medication
muscle relaxants
medications used to treat psychiatric conditions, and epilepsy.
Parkinson's medication
Laxatives, corticosteroids and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)
cancer medication
calcium and vitamin D supplements
Please consult your doctor or pharmacist for further information about which medicines can be taken with Teveten Plus.
How to take it
Follow your doctor's instructions about how and when to take this medicine. These directions may differ from the information contained in this leaflet.
How much to take
Your doctor or pharmacist will tell you how many tablet(s) to take each day. These will be printed on the pharmacy label on the container.
The usual dose of Teveten Plus is one (1) tablet per day.
How to take it
Swallow the tablet whole with a glass of water.
Do not chew the tablet.
You may take Teveten Plus with or without food.
Take this medicine at about the same time each day.
Taking your tablet at the same time each day will have the best effect. It will also help you remember when to take the tablet.
If you have any concerns about how to take Teveten Plus, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
How long to take it
Continue taking your medicine for as long as your doctor tells you.
Teveten Plus helps control your high blood pressure. It does not cure your condition. You may need to take this medicine for the rest of your life.
If you forget to take it
If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the dose you missed and take your next dose when you are meant to. Otherwise, take it as soon as you remember, and then go back to taking your medicine as you would normally.
If you are not sure whether to skip the dose, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.
Do not take a double dose to make up for the dose that you missed.
If you have trouble remembering to take your tablets ask your pharmacist for some hints.
If you take too much (overdose)
Immediately telephone your doctor, or the Poisons Information Centre (telephone 13 11 26), or go to Accident and Emergency at your nearest hospital, if you think that you or anyone else may have taken too much Teveten Plus.
Do this even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning.
You may need urgent medical attention.
If possible, show the doctor the pack of tablets.
While you are taking it
Things you must do
Be sure to keep all your appointments with your doctor so that your progress can be checked.
If you become pregnant while taking Teveten Plus, tell your doctor immediately.
If you feel light-headed, dizzy or faint when getting out of bed or standing up, get up slowly.
Make sure you drink enough water during exercise and hot weather when you are taking Teveten Plus, especially if you sweat a lot.
If you feel faint or light-headed during exercise or hot weather, speak to your doctor.
Tell your doctor if you have experienced excessive vomiting and/or diarrhoea while taking this medicine.
If you start or stop any new medicine, including any that you buy without a prescription from your pharmacy, supermarket or health food shop, tell your doctor and pharmacist that you are taking Teveten Plus.
If you plan to have surgery (even at the dentist) that requires a general anaesthetic, tell your doctor or dentist that you are taking Teveten Plus.
Things to be careful of
If you have any concerns talk to your doctor or pharmacist.
Many medicines used to treat high blood pressure may cause dizziness or light-headedness in some people. If you experience these symptoms while taking Teveten Plus, your ability to drive or operate machinery may be affected.
Things you must not do
Do not stop taking this medicine without checking with your doctor.
Do not give Teveten Plus to anyone else even if they have the same condition as you.
Do not use it to treat any other complaints unless your doctor tells you to.
Side effects
Check with your doctor as soon as possible if you have any problems while taking Teveten Plus, even if you do not think the problems are connected with the medicine or are not listed in this leaflet.
This medicine helps most people with high blood pressure; however, like other medicines it may cause some side effects.
Do not be alarmed by this list of side effects.
You may not experience any of them. If they occur, most are likely to be minor and temporary. However, some may be serious and need medical attention.
Tell your doctor if you notice any of the following and they worry you:
feeling light-headed, dizzy or faint
headache
tiredness, fatigue or weakness
trouble sleeping
diarrhoea, feeling sick (nausea) or vomiting
stomach pain or discomfort
joint pain
urinary tract infection
cough
These are common side effects of Teveten Plus and usually short-lived.
Tell your doctor as soon as possible if you experience any of these side effects:
changes to your heart rhythm
if you are on diabetic medication and you feel excessive thirst, nausea, vomiting or generally unwell
muscle aches and pains
signs of frequent or worrying infections such as fever, severe chills, sore throat or mouth ulcers
yellowing of the skin and eyes, also called jaundice
numbness or tingling in the hands or feet
skin rash, itchiness.
These side effects require medical attention. These side effects are rare.
Tell your doctor immediately if you notice any of the following:
severe skin reactions
hives or itching
reddening of the skin
not passing urine or not passing as much urine as usual, a burning sensation or evidence of blood
eye pain or blurred vision
chest pain.
These are serious side effects which may require urgent medical attention or hospitalisation. These side effects are very rare.
If any of the following happens, stop taking Teveten Plus and tell your doctor immediately, or go to Accident and Emergency at your nearest hospital:
swelling of limbs, face, eyes, inside the nose, mouth or throat
shortness of breath, breathing or swallowing difficulties
unusual tiredness or weakness that is sudden and severe
fainting within a few hours of taking this medicine.
These are very serious side effects and may indicate a severe allergic reaction. These side effects are rare.
Tell your doctor if you notice anything else that is making you feel unwell.
Other side effects not listed above may also occur in some people.
Ask your doctor, pharmacist or nurse to answer any questions you may have.
After taking it
Storage
Keep your tablets in the original pack until it is time to take them.
Keep the pack in a cool dry place (below 25°C). Do not store it in the bathroom, near the sink, or leave it in the car on hot days.
Heat and dampness can damage some medicines.
Keep it where young children cannot reach it.
A locked cupboard at least one-and-a-half metres above the ground is a good place to store medicines.
Disposal
If your doctor tells you to stop taking the tablets or the tablets have passed their expiry date, return any unused medicine to your pharmacist.
Product description
What it looks like
Butterscotch coloured, capsule shaped tablet marked "5147" on one side. Blister packs of 7 (starter pack) or 28 tablets per carton.
Ingredients
Active ingredients:
Each Teveten Plus tablet contains 600 mg eprosartan (as eprosartan mesilate) and 12.5 mg hydrochlorothiazide.
Inactive ingredients:
lactose monohydrate
microcrystalline cellulose
pregelatinized maize starch
crospovidone
magnesium stearate
Opadry 85F27320.
Teveten Plus does not contain sucrose, tartrazine or any other azo dyes.
