Amiloride + Furosemide - Oral

Amiloride and Furosemide are combined in this medicine.

Amiloride + Furosemide is used to treat water retention caused by heart failure (weakness and inability of the heart to pump blood) and kidney or liver disease, without the loss of potassium from the body. Water retention may be noticed as swelling of the feet, ankles, lower leg and hands, or shortness of breath. For this reason, it is commonly known as a "water pill".

Take Amiloride + Furosemide exactly as directed by your doctor or according to the instructions on the label. Do not take more or less than instructed by your doctor.

Try to take it at the same time each day.

Swallow the tablet whole with a glass of water.

You may need to pass urine more often while being treated with Amiloride + Furosemide. Take this medicine early in the day, preferably in the morning. If your doctor has told you to take it twice a day, take the last dose in the late afternoon unless your doctor instructs otherwise. This is to prevent you from waking up frequently at night to go to the toilet.

Amiloride + Furosemide must be taken regularly for it to be effective. Continue taking this medicine even when you feel better. Do not stop taking it unless instructed by the doctor.

Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and return to your normal dosing schedule.

DO NOT double a dose under any circumstances.

If you often forget to take your medicine, let your doctor and pharmacist know.

Do not take Amiloride + Furosemide if you ever had an allergic reaction (e.g. rashes, breathlessness, swollen eyes) to Amiloride, Furosemide, or similar medicines such as sulfonamide-containing medicines.

Alert your doctor if you have the following conditions:

• low volume of circulating fluids in the body
• dehydration (excessive water loss from the body)
• hyperkalaemia (high potassium levels in the blood)
• severely low potassium or sodium levels in the blood
• Addison's disease (a rare disorder where the adrenal glands produce insufficient amounts of certain hormones)
• unable to pass urine
• kidney problem associated with liver disease
• severe kidney disease

as Amiloride + Furosemide may not be suitable for you.

Do not take this medicine if you are breastfeeding.

Do not take Amiloride + Furosemide with potassium supplements and certain water pills or medicines for water retention. Please see the section "Can I take this with other medicines?" below for more information.

Inform your doctor if you have the following conditions:

• low blood pressure
• diabetes
• gout (high uric acid level in the blood)
• prostate enlargement
• mild to moderate kidney disease
• liver disease

Let your doctor know if you are pregnant.

Be sure to check with your doctor or pharmacist before giving Amiloride + Furosemide to the elderly. Elderly people may be more sensitive to the side effects.

If you are going to have diagnostic tests (e.g. imaging procedure that uses radiocontrast), inform your doctor that you are taking this medicine.

Why is it important to keep my appointments with the doctor?

Keep your appointments with your doctor. Your doctor needs to monitor your condition and check your response to the medication regularly.

• Routine tests (e.g. kidney function, blood sugar or electrolyte levels) may be done while you are being treated with this medicine. Your doctor will advise you about how often you need to have these tests.
• Your blood pressure may fall to unsafe levels without you noticing it. Monitor your blood pressure regularly during treatment.

Amiloride + Furosemide may cause your blood pressure to fall suddenly when you get up from a sitting or lying down position and you may feel giddy. To minimise this problem, stand up slowly.

You may need to pass urine more often while you are being treated with this medicine. As your body adjusts to the medicine, this urination effect should also decrease.

Other side effects include any of the following: headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, constipation, ringing in the ears, rashes, and itching.

Some side effects may need immediate medical health. Alert your doctor quickly if you experience any of the following:

• muscle weakness, cramping or numbness; fast or irregular heartbeat
• pain or difficulty in passing urine, change in how much urine is passed, blood in the urine
• yellowing of the skin or eyes, abdominal pain, dark coloured urine, tiredness, swelling in the legs and ankles
• increased thirst, mood changes, confusion, light-headedness, muscle pain or weakness, feeling very tired or weak, fast or irregular heartbeat, decreased appetite, unable to pass urine, dry mouth, stomach upset

Inform your doctor if any of these side effects do not go away or are severe, or if you experience other side effects.

Do not take Amiloride + Furosemide with the following medicines:

• other water pills or medicines for water retention e.g. triamterene, spironolactone
• potassium supplements

Inform your doctor and pharmacist if you are taking any of these medicines:

• medicines for mood disorders e.g. risperidone, lithium
• medicines for high blood pressure e.g. enalapril, losartan, aliskiren
• NSAIDs (medicines for pain and inflammation) e.g. ibuprofen, mefenamic acid, indometacin, aspirin
• digoxin (medicine for heart disease)
• phenytoin (medicine for epilepsy [fits or seizures])
• sucralfate (medicine used to treat stomach ulcer)
• certain antibiotics e.g. cefuroxime
• cisplatin (medicine for cancer)
• ciclosporin (medicine used in organ transplants or certain immune disorders)
• chloral hydrate (medicine for difficulty sleeping)

This list does not include all medicines that may interact with Amiloride + Furosemide.

Always notify your doctor and pharmacist if you are taking any other medicines, including herbal tonics such as traditional Chinese medicines, supplements, and medicines that you buy without a prescription.

Avoid alcohol.

Do not take potassium supplements or salt substitutes that contain potassium.

Avoid taking too much food that is high in potassium, such as orange juice, bananas, or prunes.

Store in a cool, dry place away from the reach of children.

Medicines must not be used past the expiry date.