Living in the modern world may seem to offer more convenience as more things are easier to be done and more problems are solved only with a click of a button. However, it also has its downside as it does cause more people to live a sedentary life and be comfortable with unhealthy eating habits such as fast food and junk food. We can see that diseases caused by the bad way of living such as metabolic disease, prominently high blood pressure (hypertension), has steadily increased year by year. Hence, medicine such as Azoren 40 mg are among the many antihypertensive medications used to treat hypertension. It is important to treat metabolic diseases although on the surface it seems as a harmless disease. To leave such a disease untreated can cause complications that can cause death.
What exactly is Azoren? Azoren 40 mg contains 40 mg of olmesartan medoxomil and 5 mg of amlodipine. Olmesartan belongs to the drug class of angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB) whereas amlodipine belongs to the drug class of calcium channel blocker (CCB). ARB works by blocking the substance known as angiotensin hormone from causing constriction of blood vessels. CCB works by preventing calcium from entering into the heart’s cell and blood vessels. The combination of the two helps to relax the blood vessels and ultimately lower the high blood pressure. Combination of the two offers greater effect on the blood pressure compared to when taking medicine from one drug class only. Azoren is not only used to treat hypertension but also other heart diseases such as angina and coronary artery disease.
Azoren has to be taken regularly in order for the drug to work effectively in the body. It is best for patients to take Azoren at the same time of the day. This helps patients to avoid forgetting the medicine and to ensure the level of the medicine in the body is always at an optimal level. Azoren should be taken as a whole tablet. If the tablet is not taken as a whole, it may lead to the tablet effectiveness being compromised when entering the body. The recommended dose for Azoren is a tablet a day. However, this dosage may be changed by your doctor to suit your needs. Just as with other medicine in tablet form, do take the tablet with a glass of water to prevent choking.
Patients diagnosed with any other medical conditions aside from hypertension, should notify their doctor before receiving this medicine. This is extremely important for people such as in pregnancy or kidney problems. Other medicine such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), other antihypertensive drugs like diuretic, antibiotics such as erythromycin and antifungal such as ketoconazole and itraconazole, should be avoided when taken with Azoren as it may increase risk for drug interaction. The medicines mentioned are only part of the common drugs that have been identified to be causing drug interaction and there are still many other medications that might react with Azoren. Thus, patients need to inform their doctor if they are taking any other medication before receiving Azoren.
Since Azoren may need to be taken for a lifetime, people might be wondering about side effects that could cause other problems. Side effects such as sleepiness are uncommon but because of the nature of the drug that may cause extremely low blood pressure, may cause drowsiness and sleepiness. If a person does experience drowsiness or sleepiness, they should avoid working with machines or driving vehicles on their own. Other side effects include headaches and swelling of the limb such as the hand, ankle or leg. Potential side effects should not be a reason for patients to not take the medicine. This is because doctors will always prescribe patients with medicine that brings more benefits than the side effects. If any of the side effects occur, patients should not stop taking the medicine unless they have sought medical advice from their doctor.
It can be concluded that Azoren does offer a good therapeutic effect for those with hypertension. Azoren helps to lower blood pressure efficiently and with less known side effects. Azoren being a combination drug in a tablet, makes it easier for patients to always stick to their medication for the long run. Side effects are typically mild and minimal. Patients should not stop taking the medicine even if there are side effects. Abrupt stop from taking the medication can increase risk for patients to experience rebound effects. Rebound effect is a reaction of the body that increases blood pressure and is risky for deadly complications. Side effects should be informed to their doctor so that the doctor can provide adjustment or advice to help ease the side effects without jeopardising the progress of treatment. It is important for patients to take Azoren as instructed by the doctor , such as following the right dose and frequency. Taking Azoren regularly is vital even if patients feel as if there are no good changes or they feel healthy. Any enquiries should be addressed to healthcare providers.
The author, Dr. David K Simson is a trained radiation oncologist specializing in advanced radiation techniques such as intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT), image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT), volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) / Rapid Arc, stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT), stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT), stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). He is also experienced in interstitial, intracavitary, and intraluminal brachytherapy.