Deserpidine and Methyclothiazide, Oral

What are other names for this medicine?

Type of medicine: rauwolfia alkaloid and thiazide diuretic

Generic and brand names: deserpidine and methyclothiazide, oral; Enduronyl; Enduronyl Forte

What is this medicine used for?

This is a combination medicine taken by mouth to lower and control high blood pressure. It includes a diuretic to help it work better. It also removes excess salt and water from your body.

How do I take it?

Take this medicine regularly as your health care provider prescribes, even if you begin to feel better.

This medicine may increase how much and how often you urinate. Take the last dose of the day before 6 PM to avoid interrupting your sleep at night.

Do not miss doses. If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember unless it is almost time for the next scheduled dose. In that case, skip the missed dose and take the next one as directed. Do not take double doses. If you are not sure of what to do if you miss a dose, or if you miss more than one dose, contact your health care provider.

What should I watch out for?

This medicine may make you drowsy or dizzy. Do not drive or operate machinery unless you are fully alert.

Contact your health care provider if this medicine makes you feel depressed.

This medicine increases the effects of alcohol and other drugs that slow down your nervous system. Do not drink alcohol or take other medicines unless your health care provider approves.

This medicine may drive potassium (a vital mineral) from your body. Your health care provider may prescribe a potassium-rich diet or a potassium supplement for you to take every day.

Diabetics: This medicine may affect your blood sugar level and change the amount of insulin or other diabetes medicine you may need. Talk to your health care provider about this.

Females of childbearing age: Tell your health care provider if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Do not breast-feed while taking this medicine without your health care provider's approval.

What are the possible side effects?

Along with its needed effects, your medicine may cause some unwanted side effects. Some side effects may be very serious. Some side effects may go away as your body adjusts to the medicine. Tell your health care provider if you have any side effects that continue or get worse.

Serious (report these to your health care provider right away): Confusion, depression, black tarry stools, chest pain.

Other: Dizziness, diarrhea, loss of appetite.

What products might interact with this medicine?

When you take this medicine with other medicines, it can change the way this or any of the other medicines work. Nonprescription medicines, vitamins, natural remedies, and certain foods may also interact. Using these products together might cause harmful side effects. Talk to your health care provider if you are taking:

• allopurinol (Zyloprim)
• amphetamines such as amphetamine sulfate and dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine)
• blood thinners such as warfarin (Coumadin)
• chlordiazepoxide (Librium)
• diabetes medicines taken by mouth such as acetohexamide (Dymelor), chlorpropamide (Diabinese), glimepiride (Amaryl), glipizide (Glucotrol), glyburide (DiaBeta, Glynase), tolazamide (Tolinase), and tolbutamide (Orinase)
• digoxin (Lanoxin)
• epinephrine (Adrenalin)
• ephedrine (in some asthma medicines)
• gout medicines such as probenecid (Benemid) and colchicine
• indomethacin (Indocin)
• isoproterenol (Isuprel, Dispos-A-Med Isoproterenol)
• MAO inhibitor antidepressants such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), and tranylcypromine (Parnate) (Do not take an MAO inhibitor and this medicine within 14 days of each other.)
• phenylephrine (Neo-Synephrine, Alconefrin)
• quinidine (Quinora, Quinidex, Quinaglute)
• tricyclic antidepressants such as amitriptyline (Elavil), nortriptyline (Aventyl, Pamelor), imipramine (Tofranil), and doxepin (Sinequan).

Do not drink alcohol while you are taking this medicine.

Keep a list of all your medicines (prescription, nonprescription, supplements, natural remedies, and vitamins) with you. Be sure that you tell all health care providers who treat you about all the products you are taking.

This advisory includes selected information only and may not include all side effects of this medicine or interactions with other medicines. Ask your health care provider or pharmacist for more information or if you have any questions.

Ask your pharmacist for the best way to dispose of outdated medicine or medicine you have not used. Do not throw medicine in the trash.

Keep all medicines out of the reach of children.

Do not share medicines with other people.