triamterene and Lisinopril?

Question

I am currently on Triamterene. My doctor wants to put me on 10mg of Lisinopril. I am concerned because the pharmacy said the two combined can cause problems. I don't know if i should just go ahead and take it and trust my doctor. I feel if i call the office they will just be annoyed by me calling. He recently had put me on Adalat, which i had to discontinue because of problems.

Answer 1

The triamterene is a diuretic- lowers the volume of blood by increasing urination and lowers blood pressure that way. Lisinopril is an ACE inhibitor- lowering blood pressure by relaxing the blood vessles from constricting which will lower your blood pressure in THAT way.
Do not feel you are bothering your doctor by asking questions about your meds. An informed patient is a healthier patient because he/she is not asking important questions like this to strangers instead of their personal MD!!! You deserve to know about your care!

Answer 2

There is concern if your blood pressure gets too low. That is a concern when you take any two blood pressure medications together. There is another more serious concern regarding your potassium levels. You can end up with high potassium levels. You will need to get your potassium levels testing regularly, if this combination therapy is necessary. It's recommended that one does not take these two drugs together. This could lead to heart arrhythmias and muscle spasms. This could be lethal.
If you do not want to call the doctor directly, ask your pharmacist.

Answer 3

Talk to your doctor. High blood pressure isn't something to take lightly and neither are the meds.
Docs make mistakes and you questioning them shows that you take your healthcare seriously.
I'm not sure if both those meds will hurt you but it's not gonna hurt to ask. Who cares if the people in the office make fun of you. You have the right to ask.