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Hydrochlorothiazide may not be the right choice for every patient. In those cases, a medical provider can often prescribe other medications as hydrochlorothiazide alternatives to help lower blood pressure.

Hydrochlorothiazide Alternatives

Alternatives to hydrochlorothiazide depend largely on the specific condition the medical provider is treating. Medical providers often prescribe hydrochlorothiazide to treat high blood pressure, also known as hypertension. They also prescribe it to treat edema, which is a condition characterized by the buildup of fluid in body tissues.

For Blood Pressure

Many medications can reduce high blood pressure for patients with hypertension. These antihypertensive drugs include:

  • Lisinopril (Prinivil, Qbrelis, Zestril) and Losartan (Cozaar) – works to lower blood pressure by relaxing blood vessels
  • Amlodipine (Norvasc) – relaxes blood vessels to lower blood pressure
  • Metoprolol (Toprol XL, Lopressor) – treats high blood pressure by slowing down the patient’s heart rate, which makes it easier for their heart to pump blood around the body

For Anxiety

Medical providers do not normally prescribe hydrochlorothiazide to treat anxiety. Alternative non-prescription treatments for anxiety can include:

For Weight Loss

Hydrochlorothiazide does not burn fat, so it does not actually help with weight loss. However, some people take diuretics like hydrochlorothiazide to get rid of excess water in the body. This behavior can reduce bloating in ways that promote temporary weight gain. However, the weight comes back immediately after the individual drinks fluids.

Alternative non-prescription treatments for weight loss include:

  • Eating a balanced diet and drinking plenty of water
  • Regular exercise
  • Supplements that promote fat burning

For Edema

A number of drugs treat edema, so medical providers can choose from a number of alternatives to hydrochlorothiazide. These alternative treatments for edema include:

  • Furosemide (Lasix) – another diuretic
  • Spironolactone (CaroSpir, Aldactone) – is a potassium-sparing diuretic, which means it removes excess fluid in tissues without depleting the body of potassium
  • Aldactazide (spironolactone and hydrochlorothiazide) – contains two diuretic agents to help treat edema
  • Metolazone (Zytanix, Metoz, Zaroxolyn, Mykrox) – reduces edema associated with heart failure or kidney disease

For Pneumonia

Pneumonia is a condition characterized by fluid in the lungs. Medical providers frequently prescribe diuretics like hydrochlorothiazide to help remove some of this fluid to treat pneumonia. Alternatives to hydrochlorothiazide for the treatment of pneumonia include medications like levofloxacin (Levaquin) to treat the bacterial infection that caused the pneumonia in the first place.

Disclaimer: this article does not constitute or replace medical advice. If you have an emergency or a serious medical question, please contact a medical professional or call 911 immediately. To see our full medical disclaimer, visit our Terms of Use page.


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