Aldactone

What it is used for

Essential hypertension; oedematous disorders such as oedema and ascites of congestive cardiac failure, cirrhosis of the liver, nephrotic syndrome; diagnosis and treatment of primary hyperaldosteronism; as adjunctive therapy in malignant hypertension; in diuretic induced hypokalaemia when other measures are considered inappropriate or inadequate; prophylaxis of hypokalaemia in patients taking digitalis when other measures are considered inadequate or inappropriate, hirsutism. Essential Hypertension: ALDACTONE, when used alone, is effective in lowering both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. ALDACTONE improves the hypotensive action of thiazide diuretics while at the same time reducing or preventing potassium loss due to the thiazide. ALDACTONE enhances the effectiveness of other antihypertensive agents such as beta blockers, vasodilators etc. Congestive Cardiac Failure: ALDACTONE, when used alone, is effective in the management of oedema and sodium retention associated with congestive cardiac failure. ALDACTONE may be used in combination with a thiazide or other conventional diuretics for achieving diuresis in patients whose oedema is resistant to a thiazide or other conventional diuretics. Unlike conventional diuretics ALDACTONE does not produce hypokalaemia. When administered with a thiazide or other conventional diuretics ALDACTONE offsets hypokalaemia induced by these diuretics. The prevention of potassium loss is particularly important in the treatment of digitalized patients since digitalis intoxication may be precipitated if hypokalaemia is induced by conventional diuretic therapy. Hepatic Cirrhosis with Ascites and Oedema: ALDACTONE when used alone is frequently adequate for the relief of ascites and oedema associated with hepatic cirrhosis. ALDACTONE provides a mild and even diuresis and prevents excessive potassium excretion caused by thiazide diuretics thus avoiding possible precipitation of hepatic coma. Nephrotic Syndrome : Although glucocorticoids, whose anti inflammatory activity appears to benefit the primary pathologic process in the renal glomerulus, should probably be employed first, ALDACTONE either alone or in combination with a conventional diuretic is useful for inducing diuresis. Primary Hyperaldosteronism: ALDACTONE may be used to establish the diagnosis of primary hyperaldosteronism by therapeutic trial. ALDACTONE may also be used for the short term pre operative treatment of patients with primary hyperaldosteronism, long term maintenance therapy for patients with discrete aldosterone producing adrenal adenomas who are judged to be poor operative risks (or who decline surgery), and the long term maintenance therapy for patients with bilateral micro or macronodular adrenal hyperplasia (idiopathic hyperaldosteronism). Hirsutism in Females: ALDACTONE is effective in the treatment of females with hirsutism, an androgen related increase in facial and body hair. A reduction in hair growth, hair shaft diameter and hair pigmentation is seen. Use of Aldactone should be considered only after all other alternatives of non drug therapy have been explored. For women of child bearing age, see CONTRAINDICATIONS and PRECAUTIONS, Use in Pregnancy.