Ziac instructions for administration

Instructions for administration
General treatment Therapy Guided by Clinical Effect Cessation of Therapy Geriatric Patients

General treatment
Bisoprolol is an effective treatment of hypertension in once-daily doses of 2.5 to 40 mg, while hydrochlorothiazide is effective in doses of 12.5 to 50 mg. In clinical trials of bisoprolol/hydrochlorothiazide combination therapy using bisoprolol doses of 2.5 to 20 mg and hydrochlorothiazide doses of 6.25 to 25 mg, the antihypertensive effects increased with increasing doses of either component. Return to top

Therapy Guided by Clinical Effect
A patient whose blood pressure is not adequately controlled with 2.5-20 mg bisoprolol daily may instead be given ZIAC. Patients whose blood pressures are adequately controlled with 50 mg of hydrochlorothiazide daily, but who experience significant potassium loss with this regimen, may achieve similar blood pressure control without electrolyte disturbance if they are switched to ZIAC. Initial Therapy: Antihypertensive therapy may be initiated with the lowest dose of ZIAC, one 2.5/6.25 mg tablet once daily. Subsequent titration (14 day intervals) may be carried out with ZIAC tablets up to the maximum recommended dose 20/12.5 mg (two 10/6.25 mg tablets) once daily, as appropriate. Return to top

Replacement Therapy
The combination may be substituted for the titrated individual components. Return to top

Cessation of Therapy
If withdrawal of ZIAC therapy is planned, it should be achieved gradually over a period of about 2 weeks. Patients should be carefully observed. Patients with Renal or Hepatic Impairment: As noted in the WARNINGS section, caution must be used in dosing/titrating patients with hepatic impairment or renal dysfunction. Since there is no indication that hydrochlorothiazide is dialyzable, and limited data suggest that bisoprolol is not dialyzable, drug replacement is not necessary in patients undergoing dialysis. Return to top

Geriatric Patients
Dosage adjustment on the basis of age is not usually necessary, unless there is also significant renal or hepatic dysfunction. Return to top

Pediatric Patients
There is no pediatric experience with ZIAC. Return to top