Treatment FAQ

a. what is the role of spironolactone in the treatment of hypertension

by Malachi Cruickshank Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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Spironolactone reduces morbidity and mortality in severe heart failure,2 and effectively lowers blood pressure (BP) in hypertensive patients with and without hyperaldosteronism. Small uncontrolled studies have also demonstrated its effectiveness in patients with resistant hypertension.Feb 19, 2007

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How much will spironolactone lower my blood pressure?

Spironolactone is used to lower blood pressure. On average, it lowers systolic blood pressure (the top number) by about 20 points. It lowers diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number) by about 7 points. Remember, these are averages. Your blood pressure may go down more or less than this.

When not to use spironolactone?

You should not use spironolactone if you are allergic to it, or if you have:

  • Addison's disease (an adrenal gland disorder);
  • high levels of potassium in your blood ( hyperkalemia );
  • if you are unable to urinate; or
  • if you are also taking eplerenone.

What are the Common side effects of spironolactone?

What are the side effects of spironolactone 25 mg?

  • Vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach pain or cramps.
  • Dry mouth and thirst.
  • Dizziness, unsteadiness, and headache.
  • Gynecomastia (enlarged breast tissue) in men, and breast pain in women.
  • Irregular menstrual periods and post-menopausal vaginal bleeding.
  • Erectile dysfunction.

Is metoprolol and spironolactone the same thing?

metoprolol tartrate oral brand names and other generic formulations include: metoprolol tartrate oral and spironolactone oral both increase potassium levels in the blood. © 1994-2021 WebMD, LLC.

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What is the action of spironolactone?

Spironolactone is in a class of medications called aldosterone receptor antagonists. It causes the kidneys to eliminate unneeded water and sodium from the body into the urine but reduces the loss of potassium from the body.

Is spironolactone an anti hypertensive?

Spironolactone is recommended in patients with resistant hypertension which is defined as uncontrolled blood pressure despite three antihyperternsive drug combination including a diuretic. Spironolactone is a mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist and causes anti-androgenic side effects.

What is spironolactone drugs used for?

Spironolactone is used to treat high blood pressure and heart failure. Lowering high blood pressure helps prevent strokes, heart attacks, and kidney problems.

What effect does spironolactone have on the body?

Spironolactone is commonly known as a potassium-sparing diuretic, which means in exchange for relieving the body of sodium and water, it makes the body retain potassium. This is how spironolactone works to protect the heart, lower blood pressure, and help with any leg swelling that a weak heart can cause.

Can spironolactone cause hypertension?

Key takeaways: Spironolactone (Aldactone) is an older medication that affects the kidneys and hormones. It's still used today to treat several conditions, such as heart failure, high blood pressure, and fluid buildup. The most common side effects of spironolactone are high potassium levels and breast tenderness.

Does spironolactone lower blood pressure immediately?

Spironolactone reduces morbidity and mortality in severe heart failure,2 and effectively lowers blood pressure (BP) in hypertensive patients with and without hyperaldosteronism....CharacteristicSpironolactone Patients (n=1411)All ASCOT Patients (n=19 257)Serum potassium, mmol/L4.18 (0.53)4.23 (0.47)13 more rows•Feb 19, 2007

Can spironolactone cause low blood pressure?

Low blood pressure and worsening kidney function: This drug may result in low blood pressure and worsening kidney function. Your doctor will monitor your blood pressure and kidney function while you take this drug.

Is spironolactone a vasodilator?

Spironolactone Increases Nitric Oxide Bioactivity, Improves Endothelial Vasodilator Dysfunction, and Suppresses Vascular Angiotensin I/Angiotensin II Conversion in Patients With Chronic Heart Failure.

How does spironolactone help heart failure?

Based on the pathophysiology of resistant hypertension, spironolactone use in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) with resistant hypertension, in addition to lowering blood pressure, may reduce the risk of volume overload, resulting in a reduced risk of heart failure and cardiovascular ...

Does spironolactone increase potassium?

Our retrospective chart review shows that in our practice, spironolactone is effective in raising serum potassium in PD patients regardless of the indication for use. Among patients treated for low serum potassium, it was effective in raising potassium to a normal range.

Does spironolactone lower heart rate?

Thirdly in our own study of CHF patients spironolactone reduced heart rate and increased heart rate variability despite also reducing blood pressure [8].

Before Taking This Medicine

You should not use spironolactone if you are allergic to it, or if you have: 1. Addison's disease (an adrenal gland disorder); 2. high levels of po...

How Should I Take Spironolactone?

Take spironolactone exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Follow all directions on your prescription label. Your doctor may occasionally change you...

What Happens If I Miss A Dose?

Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. Skip the missed dose if it is almost time for your next scheduled dose. Do not take extra medicine to...

What Should I Avoid While Taking Spironolactone?

Drinking alcohol can increase certain side effects of spironolactone.See also: Spironolactone and alcohol (in more detail)Do not use salt substitut...

Spironolactone Side Effects

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction to spironolactone: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, t...

Spironolactone Dosing Information

Usual Adult Dose for Edema:25 to 200 mg orally per day in single or divided dosesDuration of therapy: When given as the sole diuretic, continue the...

What Other Drugs Will Affect Spironolactone?

Taking this medicine with other drugs that make you dizzy or lower your blood pressure can worsen these effects. Ask your doctor before taking a sl...

What is spironolactone used for?

Spironolactone is an aldosterone antagonist, considered fourth line therapy for hypertension in patients already treated with multiple medications. Objectives: Primary: to determine the effect of spironolactone on patient mortality, morbidity, and to quantify the magnitude of blood pressure lowering effect of spironolactone monotherapy. ...

What is secondary spironolactone?

Secondary: to determine the prevalence of adverse reactions observed with spironolactone monotherapy and to determine if there is a blood-pressure lowering dose response with spironolactone.

What RCTs were excluded from the study of primary hypertension?

We selected RCTs studying patients with primary hypertension. We excluded studies of patients with secondary or gestational hypertension, and studies where patients were receiving multiple antihypertensives.

Does spironolactone lower blood pressure?

Spironolactone is a medication that has been used to treat high blood pressure since the 1960s. While there is some belief spironolactone reduces blood pressure, there are concerns due to the potential for this drug to cause adverse effects. The aim of this review was to determine the extent to which spironolactone reduces blood pressure, the nature of spironolactone’s adverse effect profile, and to determine the clinical impact of its use for hypertension. The search revealed 5 cross-over trials with a total of 137 patients that received both spironolactone followed by placebo or vice verse, in a random order. One other trial was found that randomly gave 42 patients either spironolactone (22 patients) or placebo (20 patients). The daily doses of spironolactone used in these studies ranged from 25-500 mg daily. Studies followed patients for 4 to 8 weeks of therapy. None of the studies reported on the clinical impact of spironolactone (i.e. whether spironolactone reduced heart attacks or strokes compared to placebo). Overall reporting of adverse effects was poor so no conclusions can be drawn about the adverse effect profile. This meta-analysis shows that spironolactone reduces systolic/diastolic blood pressure by approximately 20/7 mm Hg compared to placebo.

Does 25 mg of a systolic med lower blood pressure?

A dose of 25 mg/day did not statistically significantly reduce systolic or diastolic blood pressure, compared to placebo. Given the lack of a dose-response, coupled with a possible increased risk in adverse events with higher doses, doses of 25 to 100 mg/day are reasonable.

Does spironolactone lower SBP?

Meta-analysis of the 5 cross-over studies found a reduction in SBP of 20.09 mmHg (95%CI:16.58-23.06,p<0.00001) and a 6.75 mmHg (95%CI:4.8-8.69,p<0.00001) reduction in DBP. These results were statistically significant and there was no evidence of heterogeneity between the studies. There may be a dose response effect with spironolactone up to 50 mg/day, but the confidence intervals around the mean end-of-study blood pressure for doses ranging 25-500 mg/day all overlapped. In other words, it appears that doses >50mg/day do not produce further reductions in either SBP or DBP. One cross-over study found that spironolactone 25 mg/day did not statistically significantly change SBP or DBP compared to placebo, SBP: -9.9 (95%CI:-21.15,1.35); DBP -2.34 (95%CI:-7.92,3.06).

What is spironolactone?

Spironolactone 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 .

What other drugs will affect spironolactone?

Using spironolactone with other drugs that make you dizzy can worsen this effect. Ask your doctor before using opioid medication , a sleeping pill, a muscle relaxer, or medicine for anxiety, depression, or seizures.

How long does a diuretic last?

Duration of therapy: When given as the sole diuretic, continue the initial dose for at least 5 days, after which the initial dose may be adjusted to an optimal maintenance dose.Comments:-A second diuretic that acts more proximally at the renal tubule may be added if adequate diuresis has not been achieved after 5 days.

What happens if you are allergic to spironolactone?

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction to spironolactone: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Can you take spironolactone if you are allergic to it?

You should not use spironolactone if you are allergic to it, or if you have: if you are also taking eplerenone. To make sure spironolactone is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have: an electrolyte imbalance (such as low levels of calcium, magnesium, or sodium in your blood);

Can you take eplerenone with spironolactone?

You should use spironolactone with caution if you have kidney problems, high levels of potassium in your blood, Addison's disease, if you are unable to urinate, or if you are also taking eplerenone . Spironolactone has caused tumors in animals but it is not known whether this could occur in people.

Can you breastfeed while taking spironolactone?

Your doctor should decide whether you take spironolactone if you are pregnant. It may not be safe to breastfeed while using spironolactone.

What is BP prespironolactone?

Postspironolactone BP was defined as that recorded at the final study visit or the date that spironolactone was permanently discontinued if this preceded the study end. If no measurement was recorded on either of these dates, the last BP recorded during spironolactone treatment was used. Where spironolactone was prescribed for >1 period, analyses include only the first continuous period of use.

How long does spironolactone last?

The median duration of spironolactone treatment was 1.3 years (interquartile range: 0.6 to 2.6 years). The median dose of spironolactone was 25 mg (interquartile range: 25 to 50 mg) at both the start and end of the observation period.

How many people were prescribed spironolactone during ASCOT?

In total, 1790 individuals were prescribed spironolactone during ASCOT. Of these, 212 received spironolactone for reasons other than BP control or after an in-trial diagnosis of hyperaldosteronism (n=9). A further 167 had no BP measurements recorded on spironolactone ( Figure 1 ). The current BP analyses, therefore, refer to 1411 individuals with available data both before and during spironolactone treatment. Biochemical analyses include available data from among 1578 participants who received spironolactone for BP control; adverse event analyses refer to all 1790 of the participants prescribed spironolactone at any stage.

How many people took spironolactone?

Among the 1790 participants who took spironolactone for any cause, investigators ascribed 297 adverse events in 238 participants (13%) to spironolactone, which was discontinued temporarily or permanently as a result in 110 participants (6%).

What are the adverse events of spironolactone?

The most frequent adverse events were gynecomastia or breast discomfort, which occurred in 6% of the study population, all of whom were men. Others have reported slightly higher rates (≈10%) of gynecomastia. 2,12 However, ASCOT was not designed to identify adverse effects specific to spironolactone and, whereas participants were questioned about adverse effects at each visit, the recording of adverse events depended on the investigator identifying spironolactone as a potential cause; therefore, the true frequency of spironolactone-related adverse events is likely to have been underestimated.

What information was routinely recorded about adverse events at each ASCOT study visit?

Information was routinely recorded about adverse events at each ASCOT study visit; investigators were asked to give an opinion on causality (study drug, another drug, or concurrent condition or illness). The current analyses include all of the participants prescribed spironolactone, whatever the indication, but only those events attributed to spironolactone.

Does spironolactone cause hyperaldosteronism?

Compared with the general ASCOT population, participants who received spironolactone had higher mean SBP and were more likely to have left ventricular hypertrophy at study entry. Recent data suggest that hyperaldosteronism may be more frequent than previously thought, particularly among patients with resistant hypertension. 10,11,24–26 Because participants were not systematically screened for secondary causes of hypertension, ASCOT is likely to have included a number of patients with undiagnosed hyperaldosteronism; however, the similar mean baseline serum potassium in those who did and did not receive spironolactone makes a substantial excess of hyperaldosteronism among the former seem unlikely. Furthermore, whereas spironolactone results in large BP reductions in patients with hyperaldosteronism, 7–11 a previous study, including subjects both with and without hyperaldosteronism, observed similar reductions in both groups. 12 It, therefore, seems unlikely that undiagnosed hyperaldosteronism accounts for the BP reductions seen here. Nevertheless, the observed associations between BP response to spironolactone and baseline serum potassium and change in potassium during spironolactone treatment do suggest that aldosterone levels may modify the response.

Which has superior HSBP control?

In 314 patients, spironolactone had superior HSBP control compared to placebo (a reduction of 8.70 mmHg, P<.001); doxazosin (a reduction of 4.03 mmHg, P<0.001), and bisoprolol (a reduction of 4.48 mmHg, P<0.001); as well as the mean of doxazosin and bisoprolol (a reduction of 4.26 mmHg, P<0.001).

What is resistant hypertension?

Resistant hypertension is defined as uncontrolled blood pressure (BP) despite treatment with at least 3 BP-lowering medications.

What is uncontrolled BP?

Uncontrolled BP was defined as seated clinic systolic BP of 140 mmHg or more for non-diabetic patients, or 135 mmHg or more for patients with diabetes, and a home systolic BP (HSBP) 130mmHg for all patients. In addition to their baseline BP therapy, patients were randomised to sequentially receive 12 weeks of spironolactone (25-50mg), bisoprolol (5-10mg), doxazosin (4-8mg modified release) and placebo in random order.

Is resistant hypertension related to sodium retention?

While the pathogenesis of resistant hypertension is poorly understood, one hypothesis is that it could be related to sodium retention – a result of reduced diuretic doses in recent years, he said.

Is spironolactone a good treatment for hypertension?

The Hot Line findings, presented today at ESC Congress 2015, suggest spironolactone “was a clear winner and should be first choice for the additional treatment of resistant hypertension,” said investigator Bryan Williams, MD.

Does HSBP mirror clinic measurements?

Clinic measurements mirrored the HSBP measurements except there was a large placebo effect in the clinic that was not seen at home.

Can resistant hypertension be treated?

The findings “challenge the concept that that resistant hypertension cannot be treated adequately with drug therapies, and suggest that treatments which have a natriuretic action, in that they promote sodium excretion, are likely to be the most effective,” he concluded.

Methods

We conducted an open-label prospective trial on the use of spironolactone in the management of patients with true RH. Between April 2007 and September 2008, 236 resistant hypertensive patients were consecutively evaluated in the hypertension outpatient clinic of our university hospital.

Results

A total of 175 subjects (75%) had a diagnosis of true RH and received spironolactone according to the protocol. Table 1 outlines the baseline characteristics of these patients (72% women; mean [SD] age: 62.0 [10.0] years). Second ABPM was performed in 173 patients between 3 and 9 months (median: 7 months) after the first one ( Figure 1 ).

Discussion

This prospective trial has some important findings. First, it confirms that spironolactone is effective in reducing office and ambulatory BPs in patients with true RH. As far as we know, this is the first study in which true RH was systematically established and followed-up by ABPM.

Footnotes

Correspondence to Fabio de Souza, Rua Cinco de Julho, 63/504 Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. E-mail [email protected]

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