Benicar (Olmesartan)

Benicar is in a group of drugs called angiotensin II receptor antagonists. It is used to control high blood pressure in adults and children who are at least 6 years old, but it is not a cure. It is known that high blood pressure can damage your kidneys, and may lead to a stroke or heart failure so this drug helps prevent these things. It is sometimes given together with other blood pressure medications. 
Take this medication exactly as it was prescribed for you be your doctor. Take your doses at regular intervals, do not take the medication in larger amounts and, of course, do not take it for longer than it have been recommended by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription schedule. Your doctor may change your dose to make sure you get the best results from this medication. Take this medication by mouth with a full glass of water with or without food. You need to check your blood pressure on a regular basis, in this way you will be sure this medication is helping your condition. Do not miss any scheduled visits to your doctor. It may take up to 4 weeks for Benicar to control your blood pressure. Keep using this medication even if you feel fine because high blood pressure often has no symptoms. If you need to have any type of surgery, tell the surgeon ahead of time that you are using Benicar. You may need to stop using the medicine for a short time. 
You should not take Benicar if you are allergic to it. In case, you have any of these other conditions, you may need a dose adjustment or some special tests for observing kidney disease, liver disease, congestive heart failure or if you are dehydrated.   
Do not use Benicar if you are pregnant and stop using Benicar and tell your doctor right away if you become pregnant. Benicar can cause injury or death to the unborn baby if you take the medicine during your second or third trimester. Use effective birth control while taking Benicar.  
It is not known whether Benicar passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. So you should not breast-feed while you are taking Benicar. 
Get emergency medical help if you have any of the signs of an allergic reaction (hives, difficulty breathing, swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat). In rare cases, Benicar can cause a condition that results in the breakdown of skeletal muscle tissue, leading to kidney failure. Call your doctor right away if you feel muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness especially if you also have fever, nausea or vomiting, and dark colored urine. Call your doctor at once if you have any other serious side effects, such as feeling like you might pass out, chest pain, urinating more or less than usual, or not at all, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes) or dry mouth. Less serious side effects may include stomach pain, heartburn, diarrhea, joint pain, dizziness, spinning sensation, headache or dry cough. And this is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. 
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. 
Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine. Overdose symptoms may include fast or slow heartbeat, feeling light-headed, or fainting. 
Store Benicar at room temperature away from moisture and heat.