Candesartan

Candesartan is a prescription medication used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension) in adults and children and certain types of heart failure in adults. Candesartan belongs to a group of drugs called angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), which prevent blood vessels from narrowing. This relieves the heart from excess strain and allows blood to pump smoothly.

This medication comes in tablet form and is taken once or twice a day, with or without food.

Common side effects of candesartan include back pain, dizziness, sore throat, and nasal congestion.  Do not drive or operate machinery until you know how candesartan will affect you.

Candesartan is used to treat:

• high blood pressure in adults and children, 1 to 17 years of age
• certain types of heart failure in adults, to reduce death and hospitalization for heart damage and heart failure

This medication may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Candesartan may be found in some form under the following brand names:

• Atacand

Candesartan may cause serious side effects, including:

• Injury or death to your unborn baby. See “Drug Precautions".
• Low blood pressure (hypotension) . Low blood pressure is most likely to happen if you:
  • take water pills (diuretics)
  • are on a low salt diet
  • get dialysis treatments
  • are dehydrated (decreased body fluids) due to vomiting and diarrhea
  • have heart problems

If you feel dizzy or faint lie down and call your doctor right away.

• Low blood pressure can also happen if you have major surgery or anesthesia. You will be monitored for this and treated if needed. 
• Worsening kidney problems . Kidney problems may get worse in people that already have kidney disease or heart problems. Your doctor may do blood tests to check for this.
• Worsening liver problems . Liver problems may get worse in people who already have liver problems, including inflammation of the liver and jaundice. Tell your doctor if you notice that your skin or the whites of your eyes turn yellow.
• Increased potassium in your blood . Your doctor may do a blood test to check your potassium levels as needed.
• Symptoms of allergic reaction . Call your doctor right away if you have any of these symptoms of an allergic reaction:
  • swelling of your face, lips, tongue or throat
  • rash
  • hives and itching

The most common side effects of candesartan are:

• back pain
• dizziness
• cold or flu symptoms (upper respiratory tract infection)
• sore throat (pharyngitis)
• nasal congestion and stuffiness (rhinitis)

Tell your doctor or pharmacist about any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away.

These are not all the side effects of candesartan. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You can report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins and herbal supplements. Candesartan and other medicines may affect each other causing serious side effects. Candesartan may affect the way other medicines work, and other medicines may affect how candesartan works.

Especially tell your doctor if you take:

• lithium carbonate (Lithobid) or lithium citrate, medicines used in some types of depression
• other medicines for high blood pressure, especially water pills (diuretics)
• potassium supplements
• salt substitutes
• non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)

Know the medicines you take. Keep a list of your medications with you to show your doctor and pharmacist when a new medication is prescribed. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before you start taking any new medicine. Your doctor or pharmacist will know what medicines are safe to take together.

Candesartan can cause harm or death to an unborn baby. Talk to your doctor about other ways to lower your blood pressure if you plan to become pregnant. If you get pregnant while taking candesartan, tell your doctor right away.

Do not take candesartan if you are allergic to any of the ingredients in candesartan.

Candesartan can cause you to feel dizzy or tired. Do not drive, operate machinery, or do other dangerous activities until you know how candesartan affects you.

Do not use salt substitutes containing potassium without talking to your doctor. Candesartan can cause increased potassium levels in your blood. High potassium levels can be dangerous.

Before you take candesartan, tell your doctor if you:

• have heart problems
• have liver problems
• have kidney problems
• currently have vomiting or diarrhea
• are scheduled for surgery or anesthesia. Low blood pressure can happen in people who take candesartan and have major surgery and anesthesia.
• have any other medical conditions
• are pregnant or planning to become pregnant . See "Drug Precautions".
• are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed . It is not known if candesartan passes into your breast milk. You and your doctor should decide if you will take candesartan or breastfeed. You should not do both.

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins and herbal supplements. Candesartan and other medicines may affect each other 

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

The FDA categorizes medications based on safety for use during pregnancy. Five categories - A, B, C, D, and X, are used to classify the possible risks to an unborn baby when a medication is taken during pregnancy.

This medication falls into category D. Candesartan can cause harm or death to an unborn baby. Talk to your doctor about other ways to lower your blood pressure if you plan to become pregnant. If you get pregnant while taking candesartan, tell your doctor right away.

Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed . It is not known if candesartan passes into your breast milk. You and your doctor should decide if you will take candesartan or breastfeed. You should not do both.

Take candesartan exactly as prescribed by your doctor.

Do not change your dose or stop candesartan without talking to your doctor, even if you are feeling well.

If your child cannot swallow tablets, or if tablets are not available in the prescribed strength, your pharmacist will prepare candesartan as a liquid suspension for your child. If your child switches between taking the tablet and the suspension, your doctor will change the dose as needed. Shake the bottle of suspension well before each dose.

Candesartan is taken by mouth with or without food.

If you miss a dose of candesartan, take it as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose. Take the next dose on time. Do not take 2 doses at one time. If you are not sure about your dosing call your doctor or pharmacist.

If you take more candesartan than prescribed, call your doctor, local poison control center, or go to the nearest emergency room.

Take candesartan exactly as prescribed. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully.

Candesartan can be taken once or twice daily with total daily adult doses ranging from 8 mg to 32 mg.

If you take too much candesartan call your healthcare provider or local Poison Control Center, or seek emergency medical attention right away.

If candesartan is administered by a healthcare provider in a medical setting, it is unlikely that an overdose will occur. However, if overdose is suspected, seek emergency medical attention.

Do not keep medicine that is out of date or that you no longer need.

• Store candesartan tablets at room temperature below 86°F (30°C).
• Store candesartan oral suspension at room temperature below 86°F (30°C).
• Use the oral suspension within 30 days after first opening the bottle. Do not use after the expiration date stated on the bottle.
• Do not freeze.
• Keep the container of candesartan closed tightly.

Keep candesartan and all medicine out of the reach of children.

Medicines are sometimes prescribed for conditions that are not mentioned in patient information leaflets. Do not use candesartan for a condition for which it was not prescribed. Do not give candesartan to other people, even if they have the same problem you have. It may harm them.

Warning: Fetal Toxicity

• When pregnancy is detected, discontinue candesartan as soon as possible. 
• Drugs that directly on the renin-angiotensin system can cause injury and death to the developing fetus.