Generic Medication guide:
What is Aldomet and when is it used?
Aldomet is a trademark registered by the German pharmaceutical company Merck for Methyldopa. This is an antihypertensive formulation, i.e. the medication that lowers the blood pressure. Your doctor can tell you to buy Aldomet if you have chronically elevated blood pressure due to your age, excessive weight, or other health conditions that contribute to the arterial pressure rise. However, you can get a cheaper version of the medication with the same composition if you look for generic Aldomet. For instance, we offer you to get the medication made by the known generic-maker Wockhardt Pharmaceuticals.
How does it act?
The formulation impacts the central mechanisms of arterial pressure regulation. It is transformed into a metabolite, which stimulates the alpha2-adrenoreceptors of the presynaptic membrane of the neurons of the vasomotor center of the medulla oblongata and inhibits sympathetic impulses to the vessels.
The formulation lowers the total peripheral vascular resistance, accelerates the creatinine clearance, renal blood flow, and moderately inhibits plasma renin activity. It lowers the tissue concentration of serotonin, dopamine, and epinephrine. The medication also slows the sinus rhythm, delays the excretion of sodium and water, and increases the activity of baroreceptors. If the pills use is abruptly stopped, there can be withdrawal syndrome so the dosage must be gradually lowered instead.
The max blood-pressure-lowering effect is achieved in 4-6 hours after the pill use and maintains within one to two days.
Aldomet contraindications for use
Even if you have indications for the pills use, they can be contraindicated for you because you have:
- Hypersensitivity to the medication;
- Active form of hepatitis;
- Liver cirrhosis;
- Liver or kidney failure;
- Pheochromocytoma;
- Depressive states;
- Acute myocardial infarction;
- Cerebrovascular disorders;
- Severe ischemic heart disease;
- Autoimmune hemolytic anemia;
- Collagenosis;
- Parkinsonism;
- Porphyria;
- Simultaneous use of MAO inhibitors, Levodopa.
It is also not recommended to buy generic Aldomet if you have ever suffered from hepatitis, acute left ventricular failure, or diencephalic syndrome.
Use of Aldomet during pregnancy and breastfeeding
This is one of the few antihypertensive medications that are safe for pregnant women during all trimesters of pregnancy. However, it is still advised to consult a doctor before starting taking the pills.
Aldomet dosing
The therapy with the formulation requires an individual dosage selection. The tablets must be taken before or after a meal. Here you can find the general recommendations from the package insert but we advise you to consult a doctor when you buy Methyldopa.
The usual initial dosage for adults is 250 mg taken once a day before sleep for the first two days. Then it can be elevated by 250 mg every two days till the achievement of adequate arterial pressure lowering. The tablets must be taken before sleep because they can cause sleepiness during the first days of use.
The usual supporting dosage is between 500 mg- 2000 mg a day split into two or four intakes. The highest daily dosage must not exceed 3000 mg. If during the use of 2000 mg the sufficient blood-pressure-lowering effect isn’t achieved, it is recommended not to increase the dosage of the formulation but add to the therapy additional antihypertensive medications.
The tolerance to the medication, i.e. the reduced effectiveness, can develop between the second and third months of the therapy. The use of additional water pill or the increase of Methyldopa dosage can restore the control over the blood pressure.
The withdrawal of the formulation is accompanied by the elevation of the arterial pressure observed within two days.
The medication can be appointed for individuals who already use other antihypertensive medications with the aim of lowering of their dosages and possible complete discontinuation of their use. In such cases, the initial dosage of Aldomet must not exceed 500 mg a day.
Methyldopa use in patients of elderly age
Patients from this age group are advised to start the therapy with the minimum dosage of 250 mg a day and gradually increase the dosage every two days if needed but not over 2000 mg a day in total.
Children with the body mass over 25 kilograms (55 lbs)
Pediatric patient are usually given 10 mg per kg of the body weight per day. The daily dosage must be split into 2-4 intakes. If necessary, the dosage can be gradually raised till the desired effect is achieved. The dosage must be raised not more often than every 2 days. The highest daily dose for children is 65 mg per kg of the body weight but not more than 3000 mg a day.
Dosage adjustments for patients with kidney failure
- In mild kidney impairment when cc is around 60-89 ml per minute, the interval between the pills intake should be around 8 hours;
- In moderate kidney impairment when cc is around 30-59 ml per minute, the interval between the pills intake should be around 8-12 hours;
- In severe kidney impairment when cc is less than 30 ml per minute, the interval between the pills intake should be around 12-24 hours.
The medication is washed out with dialysis so after the procedure the patient should be given 250 additionally to avoid blood pressure elevation.
Aldomet overdose
When you buy generic Methyldopa make sure to stick to the doctor’s recommendations and not overdose. In case you take an excessive dosage you can develop acute blood pressure lowering below norm, bradycardia, lethargy, dizziness, tremor, drowsiness, nausea, vomiting, constipation/diarrhea, flatulence, intestinal atony.
The treatment implies gastric lavage or induction of vomiting, forced diuresis, use of adrenergic agonist (e.g. norepinephrine). It is necessary to control heart rhythm, the volume of the circulating blood, electrolyte balance, kidney function, and central nervous system.
Aldomet adverse effects
People with an individual intolerance to the formulation’s components can develop hypersensitivity reactions. In case of their development, i.e. extremely low pressure, swelling, skin rash or another type of allergy, and so on, the treatment must be discontinued.
Besides, at the start of the therapy and in the dosage raise sedative (sleeping-inducing) effect, headache, and general weakness can be observed. These adverse effects are transient and quickly fade.
Other potential adverse effects include:
- Lightheadedness, anxiety, low sex drive, parkinsonism, choreoathetosis, cerebrovascular insufficiency, peripheral facial paralysis, mental disorders;
- Flare-up of angina pectoris, congestive heart failure, sinus bradycardia, an elevated sensitivity of the carotid artery sinus, orthostatic hypotension, peripheral edema, body mass increase, myocarditis, pericarditis;
- Indigestion, diarrhea, inflammation or coloration of the tongue in black, nausea, constipation, bloating, dry mouth, jaundice, hepatitis, and others;
- Suppression of bone marrow function, leukopenia, anemia, and others;
- Vasculitis, fever, eosinophilia, hyperprolactinemia, amenorrhea, breast growth, and others;
- Arthralgia, swelling of the joints, muscle pain.
Aldomet interactions
When you order Aldomet, make sure to check that you don’t take it with the incompatible medications:
- MAO inhibitors. The concurrent use can cause hyperexcitation, severe headaches, hypertension, and hallucinations;
- Levodopa. The simultaneous use can contribute to the lowering of the antiparkinsonian effect of Levodopa and increased toxic effect on the CNS, especially, the onset of psychosis.
Other significant interactions include:
- The effect of the medication is lowered by the NSAIDs;
- The mental health can be negatively affected by the combination of the medication with Haloperidol (antidepressant);
- The medication elevates the risk of toxic effects occurrence as a result of Lithium salts use;
- The use of the formulation with tricyclic antidepressants can cause the lowering of the antihypertensive effect;
- For the enhancement of the antihypertensive effect, the formulation can be combined with hydralazine, diuretics, Nifedipine, verapamil, and captopril;
If you use any other medicines, consult your doctor before you start the therapy with Aldomet.
Precautions
To avoid developing withdrawal syndrome and ricochet elevation of the blood pressure, when the discontinuation of the therapy is planned, the daily dosage must be gradually lowered.
It is important to keep in mind that after the discontinuation of the medication use the antihypertensive effect quite quickly is eliminated and the blood pressure gets back to its previous indicators within 48 hours.
People with kidney function impairment are advised to take lower single dosages.
During the teary, the control over the liver function and peripheral blood is required. In the long-term therapy, Coombs test must be done every 6-10 weeks, and then every 6 to 12 months. In case of positive test and hemolytic anemia, the cancellation of treatment and administration of glucocorticoids is needed.
In case during the therapy water retention or swelling occurs, diuretics use is appointed and the dosage of Methyldopa is lowered.
The medication can hide the elevation of the body temperature due to infectious diseases.
The formulation reacts with standard chemical reagents used to determine catecholamines and contributes to changes in laboratory tests for uric acid, serum creatinine, and certain other substances. Besides, the urine of patients who use the medication has a dark color.
At the beginning of the therapy, it is highly not advised to drive or engage in any other potentially dangerous activities that require focus as the first weeks of the therapy can be accompanied with increased sleepiness.
During the therapy, the use of alcohol is prohibited or must be limited to a minimum.
Where can you buy Aldomet?
The medication is in general sold with Rx but we offer you to order generic Aldomet at a lower price than the branded medication and without a prescription.
Aldomet shipping
The shipping of all products that we offer is done worldwide within 7 to 25 days.
Free prescription
Our doctor prescribes online for free, and there is no doctor’s consultation fee.
Discrete packaging
All orders arrive in discrete unmarked parcels. We leave the shipment description blank.
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