INTRODUCTION

BENIDIN T 4/40MG TABLET is a combination of Benidipine and Telmisartan which belongs to the group of medicines called Calcium channel blockers and Angiotensin II receptor antagonists respectively. It is used to treat high blood pressure. Hypertension is a condition in which the force of the blood against the artery walls is high, generally characterized by symptoms such as severe headache, nose bleeding, weakness, disturbed vision, chest pain and shortness of breath.

During treatment, your doctor might advise you to get a regular blood pressure check with a kidney function test to assess your kidney function and blood pressure.

BENIDIN T 4/40MG TABLET is not recommended for use in patients with diabetes, severe liver problems (such as cholestasis or biliary obstruction) and impaired kidney function.

Before taking BENIDIN T 4/40MG TABLET, inform your doctor if you have a low blood pressure due to dehydration (excessive loss of water from the body), signs of high potassium level in the body (such as pounding heartbeat, shortness of breath, chest pain, nausea or vomiting), heart disease or scheduled for a surgery.

BENIDIN T 4/40MG TABLET is not recommended for use in pregnant and breastfeeding women. It is also not recommended for use in children or adolescents aged below 18 years. Consult your doctor before taking it.

The most common side effects of taking BENIDIN T 4/40MG TABLET are pounding heartbeat, headache, rash, itching and photosensitivity reaction. Consult your doctor if any of the side effects get worse.

USES OF BENIDIN T 4/40MG TABLET

• Treats high blood pressure

HOW BENIDIN T 4/40MG TABLET WORKS

BENIDIN T 4/40MG TABLET helps in treating high blood pressure, where benidipine works by relaxing the blood vessels and reducing the pressure on the artery wall thus helping the heart to pump blood more easily throughout the body resulting in reduced pressure on the artery walls of the blood vessel and telmisartan blocks the effect of angiotensin II receptors (chemical structures that transduce the signals to narrow down blood vessels) that causes relaxation and widening of blood vessels, thus lowering the blood pressure.

DIRECTIONS FOR USE

Take BENIDIN T 4/40MG TABLET as advised by your physician. Swallow the medicine with a glass of water. Do not crush or chew the medicine. Your doctor will decide the correct dose and duration for you depending upon your age, body weight and disease condition.

SIDE EFFECTS OF BENIDIN T 4/40MG TABLET

HOW TO MANAGE SIDE EFFECTS

Headache:

If BENIDIN T 4/40MG TABLET causes headache, then take rest and drink plenty of fluids. Try to avoid drinking alcohol. Ask your doctor to recommend a painkiller. Headaches should usually go away after the first week of taking BENIDIN T 4/40MG TABLET. If it lasts more than a week or severe, inform your doctor.

Dizziness:

Try to rest and get enough sleep. Try to avoid driving or operating any tools or machines while you feel dizzy. Limit consumption of alcohol, as it can aggravate dizziness. Consult and inform your doctor if the symptoms worsen.

Diarrhea:

Drink plenty of water and stay hydrated. Try to avoid taking any medicine on your own to treat diarrhea. Consult your doctor and inform them if the symptom gets worse.

Vomiting:

Try to take BENIDIN T 4/40MG TABLET with or just after a meal or a snack. Stick to simple meals. Avoid eating rich or spicy food. Consult your doctor if the symptom gets worse.

Dry mouth:

Sip water regularly and other sugar free liquids. Do not use mouthwashes that contain alcohol because they can make your mouth dry, use mouthwash that is used only for dry mouth. Limit your caffeine intake. Avoid smoking or using tobacco products. Consult your doctor if the symptom does not improve.

WARNING & PRECAUTIONS

INTERACTIONS

A. Drug-Drug Interactions:

Before taking BENIDIN T 4/40MG TABLET, inform your doctor, if you are taking any of the following medicines:

• medicine containing lithium (used to treat certain types of depression)
• aliskiren, diuretics such as torsemide, potassium-sparing diuretics (Ex. spironolactone), ACE inhibitors such as captopril, angiotensin II receptor antagonists such as irbesartan, azilsartan (used to treat high blood pressure)
• non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (medicines used to treat pain and inflammation) Ex. aspirin, ibuprofen
• anticoagulants such as heparin (used to prevent blood clot formation)
• immunosuppressive agents such as cyclosporin or tacrolimus (medicines used to prevent organ rejection after organ transplant)
• antibiotics (medicines used to treat bacterial infections) Ex. trimethoprim
• digoxin (used to treat irregular heartbeat)
• medicines used to treat inflammation or pain such as corticosteroids Ex. dexamethasone
• baclofen (used to relax muscles in the body)
• amifostine (used to protect kidneys during chemotherapy)
• narcotics such as morphine (used to treat severe pain)
• antidepressants such as fluoxetine, paroxetine (used to treat depression)
• barbiturates such as phenobarbital (used to treat seizures)

B. Drug-Food Interactions:

Avoid consuming grapefruit juice while taking BENIDIN T 4/40MG TABLET due to increased risk of low blood pressure. Consult your doctor before taking it.

Overdosage:

If you or anyone else accidentally takes too much of BENIDIN T 4/40MG TABLET, consult your doctor immediately or visit the nearby hospital.

SYNOPSIS

MORE INFORMATION

• Keep the medicine out of reach of children
• Store BENIDIN T 4/40MG TABLET at room temperature

FAQs ABOUT BENIDIN T 4/40MG TABLET

What is BENIDIN T 4/40MG TABLET used for?

BENIDIN T 4/40MG TABLET is used to treat hypertension. It is a condition in which the force of the blood against the artery walls is high, generally characterized by symptoms such as severe headache, nose bleeding, weakness, disturbed vision, chest pain and shortness of breath.

What are the common side effects of BENIDIN T 4/40MG TABLET?

The most common side effects of taking BENIDIN T 4/40MG TABLET are pounding heartbeat, hot flash, headache, rash, itching and photosensitivity. Consult your doctor if any of these symptoms get worse.

Who should avoid taking BENIDIN T 4/40MG TABLET?

BENIDIN T 4/40MG TABLET is not recommended for use in patients with severe liver problems such as cholestasis or biliary obstruction, impaired kidney function. It is also not recommended for use in pregnant and breastfeeding women. Children and adolescents (aged below 18 years) are also not recommended to use this medicine. Consult your doctor before taking it.

Is BENIDIN T 4/40MG TABLET safe to use in children?

BENIDIN T 4/40MG TABLET is not recommended for use in children and adolescents (aged below 18 years). If BENIDIN T 4/40MG TABLET is accidentally ingested by a child or adolescent, go to the hospital immediately and consult the doctor for further management. Consult your doctor before taking BENIDIN T 4/40MG TABLET.

Can I drink alcohol while taking BENIDIN T 4/40MG TABLET?

Avoid consumption of alcohol while taking BENIDIN T 4/40MG TABLET since it may aggravate the risk of low blood pressure. Consult your doctor for advice before taking this medicine.

REFERENCES

1. KD. Tripathi. Drugs Affecting ReninAngiotensin System and Plasma Kinins and Antianginal & Other Anti-ischaemic Drugs and Antihypertensive Drugs. Essentials of medical pharmacology. Seventh edition. 2013. Page – 507, 550

2. Benidipine hydrochloride. NIH National Library of Medicine. National Centre for Biotechnology Information. PubChem. July 2022. [Accessed on 16th July 2022] https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Benidipine-hydrochloride

3. Glenmark Pharmaceuticals sro. Electronic Medicine Compendium (EMC). [Revised in November 2019] [Accessed on 16th July 2022] https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/files/pil.9981.pdf

4. Towa Pharmaceutical Co.Ltd. Benidipine hydrochloride tablets 4mg ‘Towa”. [Revised in June 2013] [Accessed on 16th July 2022] https://www.rad-ar.or.jp/siori/english/search/result?n=34089

USEFUL DIAGNOSTIC TESTS

• Kidney function test
• Liver function test