Drug Uses

Aldactone is in a class of drugs called potassium-sparing diuretics (water pill). It is used to reduce the amount of fluid in your body without causing the loss of potassium. Aldactone is used to treat edema (swelling) and hypertension (high blood pressure). Aldactone is also used to treat potassium deficiency and hyperaldosteronism (a hormonal disorder).

How Taken

Aldactone comes as a tablet to take by mouth. It usually is taken once a day in the morning with breakfast or twice a day with breakfast and lunch. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Take Aldactone exactly as directed. Do not take more or less of it or take it more often than prescribed by your doctor. Aldactone controls high blood pressure but does not cure it. Continue to take Aldactone even if you feel well. Do not stop taking Aldactone without talking to your doctor.

Warnings/Precautions

Before taking Aldactone, tell your doctor if you have kidney disease; have liver disease; have diabetes mellitus; have high levels of potassium in your blood; or are taking a potassium supplement or an angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitor (ACE inhibitor). You may not be able to take Aldactone, or you may require a dosage adjustment or special monitoring during treatment if you have any of the conditions listed above. Aldactone is in the FDA pregnancy category D. This means that Aldactone is known to harm an unborn baby. Do not take Aldactone if you are pregnant. It is not known whether Aldactone passes into breast milk. Do not take Aldactone without first talking to your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

Missed Dose

Take the missed dose as soon as you remember it. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and continue your regular dosing schedule. Do not take a double dose to make up for a missed one.

Possible Side Effects

Stop taking Aldactone and seek emergency medical attention if you experience any of the following serious side effects: an allergic reaction (difficulty breathing; closing of your throat; swelling of your lips, tongue, or face; or hives); an irregular heartbeat, shortness of breath, fatigue, confusion, weakness, numbness, or tingling (caused by high levels of potassium in your blood); or decreased urination. Other, less serious side effects may be more likely to occur. Continue to take Aldactone and talk to your doctor if you experience unusual headache or dizziness; nausea, diarrhea, or a decrease in appetite; dry mouth; bloating; muscle cramps; or lowering of the voice, excessive hair growth, or enlarged breasts. Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Talk to your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome.

Storage

Keep this medicine in the container it came in, tightly closed, and out of reach of children. Store it at room temperature and away from excess heat and moisture (not in the bathroom). Throw away any medicine that is outdated or no longer needed. Talk to your pharmacist about the proper disposal of your medicine.

Overdose

Acute over dosage of Aldactone may be manifested by drowsiness, mental confusion, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, or diarrhea. Seek emergency medical attention.

More Information

Aldactone is also used in combination with other medicines to treat precocious puberty or myasthenia gravis. Aldactone also may be used to treat certain female patients with abnormal facial hair. Talk to your doctor about the possible risks of using this medicine for your condition.

Disclaimer

This drug information is for your information purposes only, it is not intended that this information covers all uses, directions, drug interactions, precautions, or adverse effects of your medication. This is only general information, and should not be relied on for any purpose. It should not be construed as containing specific instructions for any particular patient. We disclaim all responsibility for the accuracy and reliability of this information, and/or any consequences arising from the use of this information, including damage or adverse consequences to persons or property, however such damages or consequences arise. No warranty, either expressed or implied, is made in regards to this information.

Other info about Aldactone at Wikipedia.org and other resources:

Increased use of spironolactone in the UK hasn't resulted in increased incidence of adverse effects
Source: BMJ Area: News Although publication of the RALES study trebled primary care prescriptions for spironolactone in the Tayside region of the UK between 1999 and 2007, requests for serum creatinine and potassium measurement increased in parallel and there was no evidence of increases in hyperkalaemia.   The authors note that publication of the Randomised Aldactone Evaluation Study (RALES) in September 1999 markedly increased the use of spironolactone, and that in Canada this was associated with a significant increase in hospital admissions and deaths related to hyperkalaemia. Their belief was that the same had not occurred in the UK, and they carried out this study to determine whether increased spironolactone prescribing had caused such effects in a Scottish population. They...

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Updated Date: Nov 25, 2009 EST (Source: DailyMed Drug Label Updates for the last seven days (since May 20, 2007 EST))

Blocking aldosterone in heart failure
This article will address the pathophysiology of aldosterone in cardiac fibrosis and remodeling, review the current clinical trial data, and explore the application of aldosterone blockade in an expanded heart failure population. The Randomized Aldactone Evaluation Study showed that the aldosterone antagonist spironolactone reduced mortality when compared to placebo in patients with chronic advanced heart failure. Similarly, the Eplerenone Post-Acute Myocardial Infarction Heart Failure Efficacy and Survival Study demonstrated a significant reduction in mortality and hospitalizations for patients randomized to the aldosterone antagonist eplerenone. A more provocative question is whether aldosterone antagonism will afford the same protection in patient populations with heart failure and pres...

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Aldactone (Spironolactone) drug description - FDA approved labeling for prescription drugs and medications at RxList (Source: RxList - New and Updated Drug Monographs)

FDA Safety Changes: Aldactone, Viread, Truvada
The FDA has approved revisions to the safety labeling for spironolactone tablets (Aldactone), tenofovir disoproxil fumarate tablets (Viread), and tenofovir plus emtricitabine tablets (Truvada). Medscape Medical News (Source: Medscape Medical News Headlines)