Hydrochlorothiazide oral tablet dosage: A detailed guide

Hydrochlorothiazide oral tablet is a generic medication. It’s not available in a brand-name version.

This article describes hydrochlorothiazide oral tablet’s dosages and strengths and gives details on how to take it. You’ll also find information on cost savings and coupon options for hydrochlorothiazide.

If you want to know more about hydrochlorothiazide oral tablet, see this overview article. It covers details about the drug’s uses, side effects, ways to save on cost, and more.

Form and strengths of hydrochlorothiazide

Hydrochlorothiazide oral tablet comes as follows:

• Form: tablet that you swallow
• Strengths: 12.5 milligrams (mg), 25 mg, 50 mg

Dosage of hydrochlorothiazide

This article describes the recommended dosages* for hydrochlorothiazide oral tablet.

If your doctor prescribes this medication, you should take the dosage they prescribe. Your doctor will determine the dosage that best meets your needs. Do not change your dosage of hydrochlorothiazide oral tablet without your doctor’s recommendation.

* The drug manufacturer provides these recommended dosages.

Usual recommended dosages of hydrochlorothiazide in adults

Usually, doctors start by prescribing a low dosage of hydrochlorothiazide oral tablet. Then, they’ll adjust it over time until the right dosage is reached. Ultimately, your doctor will prescribe the smallest dosage of hydrochlorothiazide oral tablet that gives the desired outcome.

Your doctor may have you take different strengths of tablets for your daily dosage. This is so you take your total prescribed dose of milligrams (mg) for the day. For example, you might take a 50-mg, a 25-mg, and a 12.5-mg tablet for the dosage you need.

Dosage for high blood pressure and other conditions

Hydrochlorothiazide oral tablet is approved to treat high blood pressure in adults. It also treats swelling caused by congestive heart failure, cirrhosis, corticosteroid or estrogen therapy, or certain kidney problems. The following table shows the dosages for adults in mg.

The maximum dosage for treating high blood pressure is 50 mg per day. You usually take it once per day or divide it into two doses per day.

Dosages of hydrochlorothiazide in children

Hydrochlorothiazide oral tablet is approved for use in some children. It treats high blood pressure and swelling caused by congestive heart failure, cirrhosis, corticosteroid or estrogen therapy, or certain kidney problems. These uses are for infants and certain children under 12 years of age. Children’s dosage is based on body weight.

The drug manufacturer’s recommended dosages use children’s body weight in either kilograms* (kg) or pounds (lb). These dosages are:

• Using kg: 1 mg to 2 mg per kg of body weight, to be taken once per day or divided into multiple doses throughout the day
• Using lb: 0.5 mg to 1 mg per lb of body weight, to be taken once per day or divided into multiple doses throughout the day

* For reference, 1 kg is about 2.2 lb.

For example, assume a doctor uses kg of body weight to prescribe hydrochlorothiazide to a child. The 3-year-old child weighs 14 kg (about 31 lb). The doctor prescribes 1.5 mg hydrochlorothiazide, so the child’s dosage would be 21 mg per day.

As another example, assume a doctor uses lb of body weight to prescribe hydrochlorothiazide to a child. The 4-year-old child weighs 37 lb. The doctor prescribes 1 mg hydrochlorothiazide, so the child’s dosage would be 37 mg per day.

The maximum dosage in infants to children less than age 2 years is 37.5 mg per day. In children ages 2 to under 12 years, the maximum dosage is 100 mg per day.

Dosage for children ages 12 through 17 years is not stated in the prescribing information. If your child is anywhere from age 12 through 17 years, ask their doctor about the recommended dosage.

Dosage adjustments for hydrochlorothiazide

Your doctor will prescribe a dosage of hydrochlorothiazide oral tablet based on several factors. These include:

• the specific condition being treated and its severity
• your age
• other health conditions you may have

Missed dose of hydrochlorothiazide

Talk with your doctor or pharmacist right away if you realize you forgot to take a dose of hydrochlorothiazide oral tablet. They may advise you to take the missed dose. Or they may advise you to skip it and take your next dose as scheduled.

For tips on how to plan your doses of hydrochlorothiazide oral tablet and avoid missing a dose, read this article. You could also try:

• downloading a reminder app on your phone
• setting an alarm
• putting a note where you’ll see it, such as on your calendar, bathroom mirror, or bedside table

Frequently asked questions

Below are answers to some commonly asked questions about hydrochlorothiazide oral tablet and its dosage.

What is the lowest recommended dosage of hydrochlorothiazide?

For adults, the lowest recommended dosage is 25 milligrams (mg) per day for treating high blood pressure or swelling.

If you’d like to know more about your dosage, talk with your doctor.

Can I take a double dose of hydrochlorothiazide?

It’s likely that you should not double up doses. If you miss a dose of hydrochlorothiazide, ask your doctor or pharmacist whether you should take the missed dose.

Is hydrochlorothiazide taken long term?

Yes, doctors typically prescribe hydrochlorothiazide oral tablet as a long-term treatment. If you and your doctor determine that it’s safe and effective for your condition, you’ll likely take it long term.

If you have questions about how long you should take hydrochlorothiazide oral tablet, talk with your doctor.

How hydrochlorothiazide is taken

You’ll swallow hydrochlorothiazide oral tablet once per day. Or you might divide it into doses to take throughout the day. For some conditions, you may take it every other day or 3 to 5 days per week.

You may take hydrochlorothiazide with or without food.  

It’s not known whether hydrochlorothiazide oral tablet may be crushed, chewed, or split. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist if you’re having difficulty taking your medication. They can offer recommendations about taking it.

Also, if it’s hard for you to swallow tablets, you might view this article. It provides suggestions on how to swallow medications that come in pill form.

Hydrochlorothiazide coupon

Visit this page to access Optum Perks coupons and get price estimates for hydrochlorothiazide when you use the coupons. These coupons can provide significant savings on your prescription costs. 

Note: Optum Perks coupons cannot be used with any insurance copays or benefits.

Overdose of hydrochlorothiazide

It’s important that you do not take more hydrochlorothiazide oral tablet than your doctor prescribes. Doing so can lead to serious side effects.

Symptoms of hydrochlorothiazide overdose

Symptoms of an overdose can include:

• dehydration
• low electrolytes, which may lead to low potassium, low chloride, and low sodium in your body

What to do if you take too much hydrochlorothiazide

If you think you’ve taken too much hydrochlorothiazide, call your doctor or pharmacist right away. Or you could call 800-222-1222 to speak with someone at America’s Poison Centers. You can also use its online resource. If you have severe symptoms, call 911 or a local emergency number immediately. You can also go to the closest emergency room.

What to ask your doctor

This article describes the usual recommended dosages for hydrochlorothiazide oral tablet. If your doctor prescribes this medication, they’ll determine the dosage that’s best for you.

Do not change your dosage of hydrochlorothiazide oral tablet without your doctor’s recommendation. You should take hydrochlorothiazide oral tablet exactly as your doctor prescribes it. Let your doctor know if you have concerns or questions about your treatment plan.

Here’s a list of some possible questions you may want to ask your doctor:

• If my initial dose isn’t working for me, will my dose of hydrochlorothiazide be changed?
• Does my dose of hydrochlorothiazide increase my risk of side effects?
• Will taking hydrochlorothiazide in divided doses throughout the day instead of one time per day change how it works for me?

Disclaimer: Optum Perks has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.