Is Hydrochorothiazide safe?

[tigerlily]

My cardiologist prescribed hydrochorothiazide as a diuretic not because I have high blood pressure but to make me feel better as my aortic stenosis advances. Surgery for it is expected within a year. My question is does this drug actually help take some of the strain off your heart or does it only help you feel a little less breathless after a couple flights of stairs, etc.? I'm supposed to go on a small dose, 25mg but I've read some bad things about HCTZ and if it's just to make me "feel" a little better, I don't know if I want to take it. If it actually helps the heart to do it's job more easily, I will. Here is what I read that concerns me:

• Some diuretics, such as HCTZ, are strongly linked to an increased risk of developing diabetes.[4]
• Thiazides also increase total cholesterol by 5% to 7%, accompanied by an increase in LDL cholesterol.[4]

Here's the source: https://universityhealthnews.com/da...retics-side-effects-are-dangerous-and-common/

 

[epstns]

I really can't add much about potential risks of HCTZ, tigerlily, but I can say that I have been taking it to help control my blood pressure for about 10 years or more. diuretics such as this are often among the first medications given to patients to reduce their blood pressure. I originally started on a medication called Avalide, which contains HCTZ and Irbesartan (an ACE inhibitor), but after my valve surgery (and pacemaker, etc,), they switched me to plain HCTZ, along with metoprolol. I can't say that I notice any problems with HCTZ, although the cholesterol question is probably masked by my taking a statin to reduce it.

Just by the intent of HCTZ, which reduces the amount of fluid in your system, I would expect it to help as your cardio plans it to.

P.S. I don't know the answer to this one, but does any of your research indicate that the "negative" effects of HCTZ may be dose-dependent? e.g. At lower doses there may be less risk.

 

[tigerlily]

I imagine that it is pretty dose dependent. That just makes sense to me so I take some comfort in that.

 

[tigerlily]

I imagine that it is pretty dose dependent. That just makes sense to me so I take some comfort in that.

 

[Debster]

My mom has been on this for years-still not a diabetic -and she is 76 now. She has always had high cholesterol so I don't thnik this was a factor.