Side Effects of Natrilix

Millions of people suffer from hypertension, or high blood pressure . If left untreated, hypertension has can damage your arteries, weaken your kidneys and affect your memory. It also increases your risk for heart failure and aneurysms. Natrilix's active ingredient is indapamide, which is classified as a diuretic. But Natrilix helps lower blood pressure by causing the blood vessels to widen, reducing the pressure inside the blood vessels.

Common Side Effects

• When taking Natrilix, you may experience an upset stomach, diarrhea, dizziness, nervousness, difficulty sleeping, back pain, headaches or a runny nose.

Less Common Side Effects

• You may experience vomiting, dry mouth, constipation, abdominal cramps, loss of appetite, indigestion, itching, rashes, hives, drowsiness, vertigo, depression, nervousness, anxiety, double vision, irritability or a general feeling of weakness and fatigue.

Drug Interactions

• Because Natrilix decreases blood pressure, do not use it with other drugs that also lower blood pressure, as this could lead to a dangerous case of hypotension. Examples of drugs to avoid include narcotics, sleeping pills and sedatives, antiepileptic drugs and anti-anxiety medications. When combined with corticosteroids, Natrilix can cause a decrease in potassium levels in your bloodstream. Over time, this can lead to hypokalemia, which can damage the cardiovascular system. Using diuretics, ACE inhibitors or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like Ibuprofen and Tylenol with Natrilix may damage your kidneys.

Risks

• In addition to minor side effects and the risk of interactions, Natrilix can increase blood sugar levels, triggering the development of Type 2 diabetes in patients at risk for the disease. It can also cause heart palpitations or irregular heartbeat.
  In rare instances, Natrilix causes the development of Stevens-Johnson Syndrome, a serious skin infection that requires emergency medical treatment. Though rare, Natrilix may cause serious allergic reactions in some patients. Without medical attention, the reaction often progresses to more dangerous symptoms, such as swelling of the lips and throat or difficulty breathing.

Considerations

• Natrilix can cause low birth weight and fetal defects. Do not take it if you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant. Natrilix can exacerbate the symptoms of certain medical conditions, such as gout, hyperparathyroidism and lupus. Because of its side effects, patients with liver or heart disease, blood disorders or impairment of the brain caused by liver disease should not take the medication.