What is chlorthalidone and what is it for?

What is chlorthalidone?

Chlorthalidone is the form of an active metabolite, which is used in generic and commercial drugs. Its main property is to be a diuretic, whose mechanism of action isto help the kidneys eliminate excess salt, but with the addition of being thiazide, to make more urine.

It always comes in the form oftablets of 25 or 50 mg of the active ingredient, whose route of administration is oral. Normally, the doses of chlorthalidone depend on the patientand therefore it is usually started with a tablet of 50 mg or half a tablet per day.

Note: A study adds the following information: “Chlorthalidone is included within the indoors diuretics, since it favors the elimination of 5-10% of the total filtered sodium, as well as potassium, magnesium and bicarbonate”. (1)

What is chlorthalidone for?

In general, the function of chlorthalidone is to reduceexcess salt (sodium) orfluidsin human tissues by stimulating the kidneys to produce a considerable amount of acidified urine. And specifically recommended in these cases:

1. High blood pressure

Chlorthalidone is recommended as a treatment for hypertension, where the blood vessels are not dilated, the tension in them increases and therefore the heart must pump with greater force, which can trigger a heart attack .

In this sense, this type of medication is in charge of considerably expanding the cardiovascular vessels , to reduce the pressure in them and even promoting better blood circulation.

Important:One study highlights that: “Among treated patients with advanced chronic kidney disease and poorly controlled hypertension , chlorthalidone and thiazide therapy improvedBlood pressure control at 12 weeks. “(two)

2. Heart failure

Heart failure is a serious cardiovascular disease that becomes chronic, characterized by the poor distribution of oxygenated blood throughout the body, often caused by a disease of obstruction in the coronary arteries.

To highlight : It can cause certain edemas and excessive fatigue over time, therefore a specific dose of chlorthalidone at least 2 tabletsis recommended for two days, in a treatment for chronic insufficiency.

Chlorthalidone Side Effects

Chlorthalidone, like many drugs of its type, can bring with it a series of effects that, although they may be rare, are often quite uncomfortable. Therefore, it is necessary to be aware if adverse reactions such as these are prolonged:

• Arrhythmia (very irregular heartbeat).
• Abdominal pain.
• Aplastic anemia (decrease in blood cells).
• Nausea.
• Decreased libido.

Important: If you have any of the adverse reactions mentioned above, it is important to stop taking the drug and consult a specialist doctor as soon as possible.

Contraindications of chlorthalidone

Chlorthalidone contains a considerable number of warnings regarding its administration, as it is not indicated in a number of patients with specific disorders or conditions, such as the following:

• Renal insufficiency.
• Anuria (lack of urine fluid).
• Lactose intolerance.
• Pregnancy and lactation.
• Allergies to the active metabolite.

Key Findings

• Chlorthalidone is an effective medication to increase urine output and remove excess minerals such as sodium.
• Chlorthalidone doses can Treatincreased blood pressureor insufficient hemoglobin.
• Chlorthalidone can cause adverse effects such as arrhythmia, nausea, and anemia .
• The use of chlorthalidone is not indicated in the case of anuria. renal insufficiency, pregnancy and lactation .