Aldactone

Generic Name: spironolactone (spir ON oh LAK tone)

What is Aldactone?

Aldactone is a potassium-sparing diuretic (water pill) that prevents your body from absorbing too much salt and keeps your potassium levels from getting too low.

Aldactone is used to diagnose or treat a condition in which you have too much aldosterone in your body. Aldosterone is a hormone produced by your adrenal glands to help regulate the salt and water balance in your body.

Aldactone also treats fluid retention (edema) in people with congestive heart failure, cirrhosis of the liver, or a kidney disorder called nephrotic syndrome. Aldactone is also used to treat or prevent hypokalemia (low potassium levels in the blood).

Aldactone may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.

Important information about Aldactone

Do not use Aldactone if you have kidney disease, urination problems, or high levels of potassium in your blood. Do not use potassium supplements or other diuretics while you are taking Aldactone.

Before using this medication, tell your doctor if you have liver disease, or if you use a steroid or another diuretic.

Avoid drinking alcohol, which can increase some of the side effects of Aldactone.

Avoid a diet high in salt. Too much salt will cause your body to retain water and can make this medication less effective.

Do not use salt substitutes or low-sodium milk products that contain potassium. These products could cause your potassium levels to get too high while you are taking Aldactone.

Avoid becoming overheated or dehydrated during exercise and in hot weather. Follow your doctor’s instructions about the type and amount of liquids you should drink. In some cases, drinking too much liquid can be as unsafe as not drinking enough.

If you are being treated for high blood pressure, keep using this medication even if you feel fine. High blood pressure often has no symptoms.

What should I discuss with my doctor before taking Aldactone?

Do not use Aldactone if you have:

high potassium levels (hyperkalemia); or

if you are taking potassium supplements or other potassium-sparing diuretics such as Aldactazide, amiloride (Midamor, Moduretic), or triamterene (Dyrenium, Dyazide, Maxzide).

Before using Aldactone, tell your doctor if you have:

heart disease;

liver disease; or

if you are using a steroid, or another diuretic.

If you have any of these conditions, you may need a dose adjustment or special tests to safely take Aldactone.

FDA pregnancy category C. This medication may be harmful to an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment. Aldactone passes into breast milk and could cause harm to a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

How should I take Aldactone?

Take Aldactone exactly as it was prescribed for you. Do not take the medication in larger amounts, or take it for longer than recommended by your doctor.

Take each dose with a full glass of water.

To be sure this medication is not causing harmful effects, your blood will need to be tested on a regular basis. It is important that you not miss any scheduled visits to your doctor.

This medication can cause you to have unusual results with certain medical tests. Tell any doctor who treats you that you are using Aldactone.

If you need to have any type of surgery, tell the surgeon ahead of time that you are taking Aldactone. You may need to stop using the medicine for a short time.

If you are being treated for high blood pressure, keep using this medication even if you feel fine. High blood pressure often has no symptoms.

Store this medication at room temperature away from heat, light, and moisture.

What happens if I miss a dose?

Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take the medicine at the next regularly scheduled time. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

What happens if I overdose?

Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine. Overdose symptoms may include drowsiness, confusion, red skin rash, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.

What should I avoid while taking Aldactone?

Avoid drinking alcohol, which can increase some of the side effects of Aldactone. Tell your doctor if you regularly use other medicines that make you light-headed (such as cold or allergy medicine, narcotic pain medicine, sleeping pills, muscle relaxers, and medicine for seizures, depression, or anxiety). They can add to the side effects of Aldactone. Do not use salt substitutes or low-sodium milk products that contain potassium. These products could cause your potassium levels to get too high while you are taking Aldactone.

Avoid a diet high in salt. Too much salt will cause your body to retain water and can make this medication less effective.

Aldactone can cause side effects that may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be awake and alert.

Avoid becoming overheated or dehydrated during exercise and in hot weather. Follow your doctor’s instructions about the type and amount of liquids you should drink. In some cases, drinking too much liquid can be as unsafe as not drinking enough.

Aldactone side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. Stop using this medication and call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

numbness or tingly feeling;

muscle pain or weakness;

slow, fast, or uneven heartbeat;

feeling drowsy, restless, or light-headed;

urinating less than usual or not at all;

shallow breathing;

tremors, confusion; or

nausea, stomach pain, low fever, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes).

Less serious side effects may include:

mild nausea or vomiting;

dizziness, headache;

gas, stomach pain; or

skin rash.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

What other drugs will affect Aldactone?

Before taking this medication, tell your doctor if you are using any of the following drugs:

lithium (Eskalith, Lithobid);

digoxin (digitalis, Lanoxin);

steroids such as prednisone, fluticasone (Advair), mometasone (Asmanex, Nasonex), dexamethasone (Decadron, Hexadrol) and others;

an ACE inhibitor such as benazepril (Lotensin), captopril (Capoten), fosinopril (Monopril), enalapril (Vasotec), lisinopril (Prinivil, Zestril), moexipril (Univasc), perindopril (Aceon), quinapril (Accupril), ramipril (Altace), or trandolapril (Mavik); or

an NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug) such as ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil), naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn), diclofenac (Cataflam, Voltaren), diflunisal (Dolobid), etodolac (Lodine), flurbiprofen (Ansaid), indomethacin (Indocin), ketoprofen (Orudis), ketorolac (Toradol), mefenamic acid (Ponstel), meloxicam (Mobic), nabumetone (Relafen), piroxicam (Feldene), and others.

This list is not complete and there may be other drugs that can interact with Aldactone. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.