Co-amilozide is a non-proprietary name used to denote a combination of amiloride

Amiloride

Amiloride is a potassium-sparing diuretic, first approved for use in 1967 , used in the management of hypertension and congestive heart failure. Amiloride was also tested as treatment of cystic fibrosis, but it was revealed inefficient in vivo due to it's short time of action, therefore...

 and hydrochlorothiazide

Hydrochlorothiazide

Hydrochlorothiazide, abbreviated HCTZ, HCT, or HZT, is a first-line diuretic drug of the thiazide class that acts by inhibiting the kidneys' ability to retain water. This reduces the volume of the blood, decreasing blood return to the heart and thus cardiac output and, by other mechanisms, is...

. Co-amilozide is used in the treatment of hypertension

Hypertension

Hypertension or high blood pressure is a cardiac chronic medical condition in which the systemic arterial blood pressure is elevated. What that means is that the heart is having to work harder than it should to pump the blood around the body. Blood pressure involves two measurements, systolic and...

 and congestive heart failure

Congestive heart failure

Heart failure often called congestive heart failure is generally defined as the inability of the heart to supply sufficient blood flow to meet the needs of the body. Heart failure can cause a number of symptoms including shortness of breath, leg swelling, and exercise intolerance. The condition...

 with the tendency of the thiazide to cause low potassium levels (hypokalaemia) offset by the potassium-sparing effects of amiloride.

Formulation

Two strengths of co-amilozide are currently available in the UK:

• 2.5 mg amiloride and 25 mg hydrochlorothiazide, BAN of Co-amilozide 2.5/25 (brand name Moduret 25)
• 5 mg amiloride and 50 mg hydrochlorothiazide, BAN of Co-amilozide 5/50 (brand name Moduretic)

In North America:

• Moduretic (U.S., Canada)
  • Moduretic 5-50 (U.S., Canada)
• Novamilor (Canada)

Side effects

The most common side effect is headache (about 8% of people taking it) and nausea, loss of appetite, weakness, rash and dizziness (each about 3%).

Common side effects (1/10 - 1/100) include:

• General: Weakness, fatigue, loss of appetite. Headache, dizziness.
• Circulatory system: Arrhythmia.
• Gastrointestinal: Nausea, diarrhea, abdominal pain.
• Skin: Exanthema, itching.
• Respiratory system: dyspnoea, cough.
• Metabolic.: Hyperglycemia in diabetic patients, hyperuricemia.
• Musculoskeletal.: Pain in the limbs.