Hydralazine and hydrochlorothiazide

Hydralazine and hydrochlorothiazide Uses, Dosage, Side Effects, Food Interaction and all others data.

Originally developed in the 1950s as a malaria treatment, hydralazine showed antihypertensive ability and was soon repurposed. Hydralazine is a hydrazine derivative vasodilator used alone or as adjunct therapy in the treatment of hypertension and only as adjunct therapy in the treatment of heart failure. Hydralazine is no longer a first line therapy for these indications since the development of newer antihypertensive medications.

Hydralazine hydrochloride was FDA approved on 15 January 1953.

Hydralazine interferes with calcium transport to relax arteriolar smooth muscle and lower blood pressure. Hydralazine has a short duration of action of 2-6h. This drug has a wide therapeutic window, as patients can tolerate doses of up to 300mg. Patients should be cautioned regarding the risk of developing systemic lupus erythematosus syndrome.

Thiazides such as hydrochlorothiazide promote water loss from the body (diuretics). They inhibit Na+/Cl- reabsorption from the distal convoluted tubules in the kidneys. Thiazides also cause loss of potassium and an increase in serum uric acid. Thiazides are often used to treat hypertension, but their hypotensive effects are not necessarily due to their diuretic activity. Thiazides have been shown to prevent hypertension-related morbidity and mortality although the mechanism is not fully understood. Thiazides cause vasodilation by activating calcium-activated potassium channels (large conductance) in vascular smooth muscles and inhibiting various carbonic anhydrases in vascular tissue.

Hydrochlorothiazide prevents the reabsorption of sodium and water from the distal convoluted tubule, allowing for the increased elimination of water in the urine. Hydrochlorothiazide has a wide therapeutic window as dosing is individualized and can range from 25-100mg. Hydrochlorothiazide should be used with caution in patients with reduced kidney or liver function.

Hydralazine and hydrochlorothiazide
Uses
Dosage
Side Effect
Precautions
Interactions
Uses during Pregnancy
Uses during Breastfeeding
Accute Overdose
Food Interaction
Half Life
Volume of Distribution
Clearance
Interaction With other Medicine
Contradiction
Storage

Trade Name	Hydralazine and hydrochlorothiazide
Generic	Hydralazine + hydrochlorothiazide
Type	Oral
Therapeutic Class
Manufacturer
Available Country	United States
Last Updated:	September 19, 2023 at 7:00 am

Uses

Hydralazine is an antihypertensive agent used for the management of essential hypertension or severe hypertension associated with conditions requiring immediate action, heart failure, and pre-eclampsia or eclampsia .

Hydralazine is indicated alone or adjunct to standard therapy to treat essential hypertension. A combination product with isosorbide dinitrate is indicated as an adjunct therapy in the treatment of heart failure.

Hydrochlorothiazide is used for-

Edema associated with congestive heart failure, hepatic cirrohosis, various forms of renal dysfunction and corticosteroid and estrogen therapy
Management of hypertension either as the sole therapeutic agent or to enhance the effectiveness of other antihypertensive drugs in the more severe form of hypertension
Management of diabetes insipidus
Management of proximal renal tubular acidosis
Idiopathic hypercalciuria and calcium nephrolithiasis, osteoporosis and exercise induced hyperkalemia

Hydralazine and hydrochlorothiazide is also used to associated treatment for these conditions: Heart Failure, Hypertension,Essential, Hypertensive crisis, Severe HypertensionAcidosis, Renal Tubular, Calcium Nephrolithiasis, Cirrhosis of the Liver, Congestive Heart Failure (CHF), Diabetes Insipidus, Edema, High Blood Pressure (Hypertension), Hypertension,Essential, Hypokalemia caused by diuretics, Nephrotic Syndrome, Premenstrual tension with edema, Sodium retention, Stroke, Prophylaxis of preeclampsia

How Hydralazine and hydrochlorothiazide works

Hydralazine may interfere with calcium transport in vascular smooth muscle by an unknown mechanism to relax arteriolar smooth muscle and lower blood pressure. The interference with calcium transport may be by preventing influx of calcium into cells, preventing calcium release from intracellular compartments, directly acting on actin and myosin, or a combination of these actions. This decrease in vascular resistance leads to increased heart rate, stroke volume, and cardiac output.

Hydralazine also competes with protocollagen prolyl hydroxylase (CPH) for free iron. This competition inhibits CPH mediated hydroxylation of HIF-1α, preventing the degradation of HIF-1α. Induction of HIF-1α and VEGF promote proliferation of endothelial cells and angiogenesis.

Hydrochlorothiazide is transported from the circulation into epithelial cells of the distal convoluted tubule by the organic anion transporters OAT1, OAT3, and OAT4. From these cells, hydrochlorothiazide is transported to the lumen of the tubule by multidrug resistance associated protein 4 (MRP4).

Normally, sodium is reabsorbed into epithelial cells of the distal convoluted tubule and pumped into the basolateral interstitium by a sodium-potassium ATPase, creating a concentration gradient between the epithelial cell and the distal convoluted tubule that promotes the reabsorption of water.

Hydrochlorothiazide acts on the proximal region of the distal convoluted tubule, inhibiting reabsorption by the sodium-chloride symporter, also known as Solute Carrier Family 12 Member 3 (SLC12A3). Inhibition of SLC12A3 reduces the magnitude of the concentration gradient between the epithelial cell and distal convoluted tubule, reducing the reabsorption of water.

Dosage

Hydralazine and hydrochlorothiazide dosage

Adults-

For Edema: The usual adult dosage is 25 to 100 mg daily as a single or divided dose.

For Control of Hypertension: The usual initial dose in adults is 25 mg daily given as a single dose. The dose may be increased to 50 mg daily, given as a single or two divided doses. Doses above 50 mg are often associated with marked reductions in serum potassium. In some patients (especially the elderly) an initial dose of 12.5 mg daily may be sufficient.

Infants and children-

For diuresis and for control of hypertension: The usual pediatric dosage is 1 to 2 mg/kg/day in single or two divided doses, not to exceed 37.5 mg per day in infants up to 2 years of age or 100 mg per day in children 2 to 12 years of age. In infants less than 6 months of age, doses up to 3 mg/kg/day in two divided doses may be required.

Side Effects

Generally, Hydrochlorothiazide is well tolerated. However, a few side effects may occur like weakness, restlessness, dizziness, headache, fever, diarrhea, vomiting, sialadenitis, cramping, constipation, gastric irritation, nausea, anorexia, and hypotension. In rare case hyperglycemia, glycosuria, hyperuricemia and muscle spasm may occur.

Toxicity

The oral LD₅₀ in rats is 173-187mg/kg and the highest known dose an adult human has survived is 10g orally.

Patients experiencing an overdose may present with hypotension, tachycardia, headache, flushing, myocardial ischemia, myocardial infarction, cardiac arrhythmia, and shock. Overdose can be treated through emptying the gastric contents and administering activated charcoal, though these treatments may cause further arrhythmias and shock. Supportive and symptomatic treatment should be administered.

The oral LD₅₀ of hydrochlorothiazide is >10g/kg in mice and rats.

Patients experiencing an overdose may present with hypokalemia, hypochloremia, and hyponatremia. Treat patients with symptomatic and supportive treatment including fluids and electrolytes. Vasopressors may be administered to treat hypotension and oxygen may be given for respiratory impairment.

Precaution

Thiazides should be used with caution in patients with severe renal disease, impaired hepatic function or progressive liver disease and gout.

Interaction

Alcohol, Barbiturates, or Narcotics: Potentiation of orthostatic hypotension may occur.

Antidiabetic Drugs (oral agents and insulin): Thiazides can impair control of diabetes mellitus by diet and antidiabetic Drugs. Antihypertensive Drugs: Additive effect or potentiation.

Volume of Distribution

The volume of distribution is 1.34±0.79L/kg in congestive heart failure patients and 1.98±0.22L/kg in hypertensive patients.

The volume of distribution varies widely from one study to another with values of 0.83-4.19L/kg.

Elimination Route

Taking oral hydralazine with food improves the bioavailability of the drug. An intravenous dose of 0.3mg/kg leads to an AUC of 17.5-29.4µM*min and a 1mg/kg oral dose leads to an AUC of 4.0-30.4µM*min. The C_max of oral hydralazine is 0.12-1.31µM depending on the acetylator status of patients.

An oral dose of hydrochlorothiazide is 65-75% bioavailable, with a T_max of 1-5 hours, and a C_max of 70-490ng/mL following doses of 12.5-100mg. When taken with a meal, bioavailability is 10% lower, C_max is 20% lower, and T_max increases from 1.6 to 2.9 hours.

Half Life

Hydralazine has a half life of 2.2-7.8h in rapid acetylators and 2.0-5.8h in slow acetylators. The half life in heart failure patients is 57-241 minutes with an average of 105 minutes and in hypertensive patients is 200 minutes for rapid acetylators and 297 minutes for slow acetylators.

The plasma half life of hydrochlorothiazide is 5.6-14.8h.

Clearance

The majority of hydralazine clearance is extrahepatic- 55% for rapid acetylators and 70% for slow acetylators. The average clearance in congestive heart failure patients is 1.77±0.48L/kg/h, while hypertensive patients have an average clearance of 42.7±8.9mL/min/kg.

The renal clearance of hydrochlorothiazide in patients with normal renal function is 285mL/min. Patients with a creatinine clearance of 31-80mL/min have an average hydroxychlorothiazide renal clearance of 75mL/min, and patients with a creatinine clearance of ≤30mL/min have an average hydroxychlorothiazide renal clearance of 17mL/min.

Elimination Route

Hydrochlorothiazide is eliminated in the urine as unchanged hydrochlorothiazide.

Pregnancy & Breastfeeding use

Pregnancy: Evidence of fetal risk in hydrochlorothiazide therapy is found, but it is indicated if benefits outweigh risks. Thiazides are indicated in pregnancy when edema is due to pathologic causes.\

Lactation: Neonatal side effects have been seen incase of hydrochlorothiazide therapy and therefore it is not recommended.

Contraindication

Hydrochlorothiazide is contraindicated to the patients of anuria and those who are sensitive to hydrochlorothiazide or to other sulfonamide-derived drugs. Therapy is not to be initiated in diabetes mellitus.

Special Warning

Elderly: in some patients specially the elderly an initial dose of 12.5 mg daily may be sufficient.

Children: An initial dose for children has been 1 to 2 mg per kg body-weight in 2 divided doses. Infants under 6 months may need doses upto 3 mg per kg daily.

Acute Overdose

The most common signs and symptoms observed are those caused by electrolyte depletion (hypokalemia, hypochloremia, hyponatremia) and dehydration resulting from excessive diuresis. Rarely, autoimmune hemolytic anemia and other hypersensitivity reactions may complicate the picture.

In the event of over dosage, symptomatic and supportive measures should be employed. Emesis should be induced or gastric lavage performed. Correct dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, hepatic coma and hypotension by established procedures. Hemodialysis can be used successfully to treat severe intoxication.