CTD-O 12.5/20 Tablet belongs to the class of medicines called antihypertensives primarily used to treat high blood pressure. Hypertension or high blood pressure is a chronic condition in which the force exerted by the blood against the artery wall is high. As a result, it leads to heart diseases, irregular heartbeat, and other complications.

CTD-O 12.5/20 Tablet is a combination of two medicines namely: Olmesartan medoxomil and Chlorthalidone. Olmesartan medoxomil is an angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) which works by blocking the hormone angiotensin, thereby relaxing blood vessels. This allows the blood to flow more smoothly and the heart to pump more efficiently. Chlorthalidone is a diuretic or water pills that removes extra water and certain electrolytes from the body. Together it lowers fluid overload, blood pressure and improves blood flow.

You can take CTD-O 12.5/20 Tablet with food or without food. It should be swallowed whole with a glass of water. Do not chew, bite, or break it. Your doctor will advise you how often you take your tablets based on your medical condition. In some cases, you may experience headache, nausea, or dizziness. Most of these side effects of CTD-O 12.5/20 Tablet do not require medical attention and gradually resolve over time. However, if the side effects are persistent, reach out to your doctor.

Try not to stop taking this medicine of your own. Let your doctor know about this, as it may cause a rise in blood pressure and can increase the risk of getting heart diseases and stroke. Inform your doctor if you are suffering from any kidney or liver or heart disease or are diabetic. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, please tell your doctor so that the dosage of CTD-O 12.5/20 Tablet can be prescribed accordingly. Do not use CTD-O 12.5/20 Tablet if you are unable to urinate,  are dehydrated, have low blood pressure (hypotension), cardiogenic shock (sudden stopping of blood flow to the heart). Please tell your doctor if you are taking any other medicines or are allergic to this medicine. Reducing the amount of table salt (sodium chloride) in your food often relieves the swelling of the body.

CTD-O 12.5/20 Tablet is a combination medication, generally used when a single medicine is not effective in controlling blood pressure. CTD-O 12.5/20 Tablet is used to treat hypertension, where Olmesartan medoxomil works by relaxing the blood vessels. On the other hand, Chlorthalidone being diuretic works by increasing the amount of urine that is passed out from the kidneys and hence lowering the blood pressure. Together it lowers the overall raised blood pressure and reduces the risk of having a heart attack, stroke, or kidney problems. 

• Bradycardia (slow heart rate)
• Cold extremities
• Gastrointestinal disturbances including nausea
• Fatigue

CTD-O 12.5/20 Tablet should not be given to the people allergic to CTD-O 12.5/20 Tablet , have low blood pressure (less than 90 mm of Hg), have had a heart attack, kidney disease, liver disease, pregnant women, or planning to get pregnant and breastfeeding women. Besides this, it is contraindicated in low blood pressure (hypotension), cardiogenic shock (sudden stopping of blood flow to the heart), and aortic stenosis (heart valve problem). CTD-O 12.5/20 Tablet can pass into breast milk, but its effect on the baby is not known. So, it is better to tell your doctor if you are taking CTD-O 12.5/20 Tablet and breastfeeding.

Drug-Drug Interaction: CTD-O 12.5/20 Tablet may interact with other high blood pressure-lowering pills (benazepril, metoprolol, ramipril, hydrochlorothiazide, simvastatin, diltiazem, verapamil, azilsartan, benazepril, lisinopril, amiloride), and can lower your blood pressure leading to severe condition. Besides this, medicine to treat erectile dysfunction (sildenafil), antibiotics (clarithromycin, erythromycin, rifampicin), antifungal (itraconazole, ketoconazole), anti-HIV drugs (ritonavir), anti-epilepsy medicines (carbamazepine, phenytoin, phenobarbital, primidone), immune-suppressing drugs (cyclosporine, tacrolimus), and pain killers (ibuprofen, aspirin) should not be taken with CTD-O 12.5/20 Tablet .

Drug-Food Interaction: CTD-O 12.5/20 Tablet severely interacts with grapefruit, grapefruit juices, and St. John’s wort (a plant used to treat depression). Hence it should not be taken with CTD-O 12.5/20 Tablet .

Drug-Disease Interaction: CTD-O 12.5/20 Tablet should not be given to people with cardiogenic shock (when the heart fails to pump required blood to the body), heart valve problem (stenosis), low blood pressure (hypotension), coronary heart disease, liver disease, renal impairment, or heart failure.

• METOPROLOL
• RAMIPRIL
• HYDROCHLOROTHIAZIDE
• SIMVASTATIN
• SILDENAFIL
• CLARITHROMYCIN
• ERYTHROMYCIN
• RIFAMPICIN
• ITRACONAZOLE
• KETOCONAZOLE
• RITONAVIR
• CARBAMAZEPINE
• PHENOBARBITAL
• PRIMIDONE
• ASPIRIN
• IBUPROFEN

• Keep your weight under control with BMI 19.5-24.9.

• Do regular physical activity or exercise for at least 150 minutes per week, or about 30 minutes most days of the week. Doing this can help you to lower your raised blood pressure by about 5 mm of Hg.

• Opt for a diet rich in whole grains, fruits, veggies, and low-fat dairy products.

• Limit intake of sodium chloride (table salt) in your daily diet to 2300 mg per day or less than 1500 mg is ideal for most adults.

• If you are taking alcohol then only one serving for women and two servings for men is advisable.

• Quitting smoking is the best strategy to lower the risk of heart disease.

• Avoid chronic stress as it can raise your blood pressure. Try to enjoy and spent time with your loved ones to cope with stress and practice mindfulness techniques.

• Monitor your blood pressure daily and if there is too much fluctuation then immediately contact your doctor.

• Try to include heart-healthy omega 3 fatty acids containing food drinks in your daily diet. You can also use low-fat cooking oil like olive oil, soybean oil, canola oil, and coconut oil can help in lowering your elevated blood pressure.

When pregnancy is detected, discontinue CTD-O 12.5/20 Tablet as drugs that act directly on the renin-angiotensin system can cause severe injury and even death to the developing fetus (unborn baby).

Hypertension: It is a chronic condition when blood pressure is too high. This condition can lead to hardened arteries (blood vessels), decreasing the blood and oxygen flow to the heart. Blood pressure is the measurement of the force that our heart uses to pump blood to all parts of the body. Raised blood pressure can cause chest pain (angina) and heart attack (when blood supply to the heart is blocked). Additionally, high blood pressure also causes brain damage (stroke) and kidney failure. High blood pressure can be diagnosed with the help of a blood pressure monitor or sphygmomanometer. Systolic pressure is the pressure when the heart pumps blood out. On the other hand, diastolic pressure is the pressure when your heart is at the resting stage between heartbeats. If your blood pressure is 140/90 mm of Hg, it means the systolic pressure is 140 mm of Hg and, diastolic pressure is 90 mm of Hg. Ideal blood pressure should be between 90/60 mm of Hg and 120/80 mm of Hg.