What is Combipres?

Combipres is mostly prescribed for the treatment of hypertension (high blood pressure). Combipres is a combination medication containing clonidine and chlorthalidone.

How does Combipres Work?

The two medications in Combipres (clonidine and chlorthalidone) work together. Clonidine relaxes the vessels that carry blood and regulates the blood pumped from the heart to parts of the body with the minimal possible resistance thereby reducing stress on the heart. Chlorthalidone increases water and salt in the body to help patients reduce problems like swelling (edema). It works like a diuretic and replenishes the body with water and salt that are lost through urination.

Precautions

Combipres works differently in patients depending on their medical needs. Only your physician can determine if Combipres is the right choice for your hypertension and will do so only after a proper assessment and medical history. Combipres is contraindicated for patients with a history of liver diseases. If you have an allergy to sulfa you should avoid Combipres. If you have been diagnosed with or are being treated for kidney disease, gout, diabetes, stroke, heart disease, high cholesterol, pancreatitis, collagen vascular diseases like systemic lupus, or have dangerously high levels of triglycerides in the blood stream you may not tolerate Combipres well. If you doctor prescribed Combipres and you suffer from any of the afformentioned conditions you will more than likely need special monitoring while on Combipres therapy.

Combipres has been classified by the Food and Drug Administration as a pregnancy risk category B. This means that Combipres has been proven to have little negative effect on the fetus of pregnant women. However, it is still important to let your doctor know if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Combipres is not approved for use in children. Combipres is excreted in breast milk so nursing mothers are encouraged to not use Combipres.

Dosage Instructions

Never take more of Combipres than the dosage that has been prescribed for you. Overdoses over Combipres have been proven to cause death. If you miss a dose and it is time for you next dose then skip the first dose and continue on your regimen. You should never take two doses of Combipres or take two doses close together as it can lead to problems that require immediate medical attention. Signs of overdose include nausea, seizures, vomiting, weakness, lethargy, drowsiness, and other similar effects. If you experience any of these symptoms seek immediate medical attention. You should never mix Combipres with any other medications including over the counter medications and dietary supplements without first consulting your doctor.

While this medication has a proven track record for helping to improve high blood pressure it should be administered with great care.

About the Author
Maryann is an avid researcher of hypertension (high blood pressure) treatments and medications such as Combipres and runs a successful website dedicated to providing consumers with answers to their hypertension medication questions. For more information on the different types of hypertension medications please visit Maryann's site at hypertensionmedsreview.com.