Generic
Olmesartan Medoxomil
Indications
Olmesartan Medoxomil is indicated for the treatment of hypertension. It may be used alone or in combination with other antihypertensive agents.
Pharmacology
Angiotensin-II formed from angiotensin-I in a reaction catalyzed by angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), is a potent vasoconstrictor, the primary vasoactive hormone of the renin-angiotensin system and an important component in the pathophysiology of hypertension. It also stimulates aldosterone secretion by the adrenal cortex. Olmesartan blocks the vasoconstrictor and aldosterone-secreting effects of angiotensin-II by selectively blocking the binding of angiotensin-II to the AT 1 receptor found in many tissues (e.g. vascular smooth muscle, adrenal gland). In-vitro-binding studies indicate that Olmesartan is a reversible & competitive inhibitor of AT 1 receptor. Olmesartan does not inhibit ACE (kinase-I, the enzyme that converts angiotensin-I to angiotensin-II and degrades bradykinin).
Dosage Administration
Dosage must be individualized. The usual recommended starting dose of Olmesartan is 20 mg once daily when used as monotherapy in patients who are not volume-contracted. For patients requiring further reduction in blood pressure after 2 weeks of therapy, the dose of Olmesartan may be increased to 40 mg. Doses above 40 mg do not appear to have a greater effect. Twice-daily dosing offers no advantage over the same total dose given once daily. No initial dosage adjustment is recommended for elderly patients, for patients with moderate to marked renal impairment (creatinine clearance <40 ml/min) or with moderate to marked hepatic dysfunction. For patients with possible depletion of intravascular volume (e.g. patients treated with diuretics, particularly those with impaired renal function), Olmesartan should be initiated under close medical supervision and consideration should be given to use of a lower starting dose. Olmesartan may be administered with or without food.
Contraindications
With medicine: No significant drug interactions were reported in which Olmesartan was co-administered. With food & others: Food does not affect the bioavailability of Olmesartan.
Side Effects
Olmesartan is contraindicated in patients who are hypersensitive to any component of this product.
Pregnancy And Lactation
Common: The most common side effects include Back pain, bronchitis, creatine phosphokinase increased, diarrhea, headache, hematuria, hyperglycemia, hypertriglyceridemia, influenza-like symptoms, pharyngitis, rhinitis, and sinusitis. Rare: Chest pain, peripheral edema, arthritis.
Therapeutic
Symptoms: There is no experience of overdose with Olmesartan. The most likely effects of olmesartan medoxomil overdosage are hypotension and tachycardia; bradycardia could be encountered if parasympathetic (vagal) stimulation occurred. Treatment: If intake is recent, gastric lavage or induction of emesis may be considered. Clinically significant hypotension due to an overdose of Olmesartan requires the active support of the cardiovascular system, including close monitoring of heart and lung function, the elevation of the extremities, and attention to circulating fluid volume and urine output.
Storage Conditions
Angiotensin-ll receptor blocker
Over The Counter Products
