Hydrochlorothiazide

(Microzide)
Uses
This medication is used to treat high blood pressure. Lowering high blood pressure helps prevent
strokes, heart attacks, and kidney problems. Hydrochlorothiazide is a "water pill" (diuretic) that
causes you to make more urine. This helps your body get rid of extra salt and water.

This medication also reduces extra fluid in the body (edema) caused by conditions such as heart
failure, liver disease, or kidney disease. This can lessen symptoms such as shortness of breath or
swelling in your ankles or feet.

Contraindications
Who should not take hydrochlorothiazide?
Check with your physician if you have any of the following:

Conditions:

Absence of Urine Formation, Acid Base Problem with Low Chloride and Basic pH Blood,
Unconsciousness Resulting from Liver Cell Deterioration, Acute Inflammation of the Pancreas,
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, Yellowing of the Skin in a Newborn Child, High Amount of
Uric Acid in the Blood, Azotemia, High Blood Sugar, secondary angle-closure glaucoma,
Decreased Blood Volume, Diabetes, Increased Activity of the Parathyroid Gland,
Sympathectomy, High Cholesterol, Gout, Low Amount of Magnesium in the Blood, High
Amount of Calcium in the Blood, Low Amount of Sodium in the Blood, Extreme Loss of Body
Water, Low Amount of Potassium in the Blood

Hypokalemia
Using hydrochlorothiazide with aloe raises your risk of hypokalemia, or low levels of potassium
in your blood. Numerous other herbs have the same interaction. These include andrographis,
apple cider vinegar, artichoke, black root, blue flag, buckthorn, butternut, cascara
sagrada, castor oil, colocynth, fo-ti, frangula, gamboge, goldenseal, gossypol, horsetail, licorice,
senna, wahoo and yellow dock. Symptoms of hypokalemia may include fatigue, muscle
weakness, constipation, abnormal heart rhythms, muscle fiber breakdown and paralysis. A large
drop in blood-potassium levels can be life threatening.