Triamterene: What Should I Tell My Healthcare Provider?
You should talk with your healthcare provider prior to taking
triamterene (
Dyrenium®) if you have:
- Liver disease, including cirrhosis
- Kidney disease or kidney failure
- A history of kidney stones
- Diabetes
- Systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus or SLE)
- Gout
- Fluid or electrolyte problems
- Any allergies, including allergies to sulfa drugs, foods, dyes, or preservatives.
Also, let your healthcare provider know if you are:
- Pregnant or trying to become pregnant
- Breastfeeding.
Tell your healthcare provider about all medicines you are currently taking, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.
Specific Precautions and Warnings With Triamterene
Warnings and precautions to be aware of prior to taking triamterene include the following:
- The medication can cause high potassium levels (hyperkalemia). Your healthcare provider should monitor your potassium levels regularly using a blood test while you are taking it. If you notice any symptoms of a possible electrolyte imbalance, contact your healthcare provider. These symptoms may include:
- Abnormal sensations, such as burning, tingling, or pricking
- Muscle weakness
- Low heart rate (bradycardia).
- Do not use salt substitutes while taking triamterene. Salt substitutes usually contain potassium, and combining them with triamterene can increase the risk of high potassium levels in your blood (hyperkalemia). Herb-type salt substitutes that do not contain potassium are okay to use.
- Several medicines can interact with triamterene (see Drug Interactions With Triamterene).
- Triamterene has been reported to cause kidney stones. Talk to your healthcare provider before taking the drug if you have had kidney stones in the past.
- Triamterene is also known to worsen gout.
- The medication may cause high blood sugar (hyperglycemia) in people with diabetes. Your healthcare provider may need to adjust your dose of insulin or oral diabetes medication, depending on your individual situation.
- Triamterene is considered a pregnancy Category C medication. This means that it may not be safe to use during pregnancy. Talk to your healthcare provider about the risks and benefits of taking the drug while pregnant (see Dyrenium and Pregnancy).
- It is not known if triamterene passes through breast milk. Therefore, if you are breastfeeding or plan to start, discuss this with your healthcare provider before using the drug (see Dyrenium and Breastfeeding).
