Amias (candesartan cilexetil) is used to lower blood pressure and reduce the heart's workload, making it beneficial in treating hypertension, heart failure, and to prevent kidney damage or diabetic nephropathy in patients with diabetes. It can be used in all ages, though dosage modifications may be required.

An angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB), Amias helps keep blood vessels dilated. Blood can flow more freely through dilated vessels, thus lowering blood pressure and reducing strain on the heart. Over time this effect reduces the likelihood of experiencing a major complication from hypertension or heart failure, including:

• Reduces incidence of heart attack
• Reduces incidence of stroke
• Spares the kidneys from high blood pressure damage
• Reduces overall mortality from above causes

Amias can begin providing benefit even in pre-hypertension, slowing or even halting the progression to hypertension. This is even more likely if lifestyle changes are also adopted, though in some cases lifestyle is not the leading cause of the problem.

Amias can be used on its own or in combination with other medications; both methods are common. Be sure that prescribing doctor is aware of all other medications being taken, however, to prevent possible interactions.

Treating Hypertension

Treatment will vary to some extent according to personal variables, such as age, weight, severity of the hypertension, and so forth. Other hypertension medications may be taken along with Amias, which will need to be taken into account when determining dosage. In otherwise healthy adults treatment is typically as follows:

• Start with 16 mg per day, taken all at once or divided into two smaller doses.
• Results should be evaluated after two weeks of treatment.
• If needed dosage may be increased up to 32 mg per day.
• If effects are not sufficient at 32 mg per day, adding another anti-hypertension medication is likely to be more effective than further increasing dosage of Amias.

Tablets may be taken with or without food as desired, but should be swallowed whole. Patients who have difficulty swallowing whole tablets, or who are treating younger patients resistant to swallowing tablets, can ask a pharmacist to prepare an oral suspension.

It will take at least two weeks for full benefits to be seen. Treatment should not end abruptly but rather be gradually reduced over several weeks, especially if the medication has been taken for more than a few weeks.

Treating Heart Failure

The benefits of Amias on the heart are essentially the same as those when the medication is used to lower blood pressure; it reduces the heart's workload, reducing strain on the heart. The highest recommended dose of 32 mg per day is generally the goal, but some patients must take lower doses to avoid serious side effects.

Standard treatment is:

• Start with 4 mg taken once per day.
• After 2 weeks results should be evaluated and dosage doubled if no serious side effects are present.
• Dosage may be doubled every two weeks up to 32 mg per day, provided no adverse effects develop.
• 32 mg per day is the target dose if tolerated without disruptive side effects.

It is very common for other medications to also be taken, which may further influence dosage. Unless the underlying cause is addressed patients will likely remain on Amias for the remainder of life.

Preventing Diabetic Nephropathy

Use of Amias in preventing diabetic nephropathy is highly individualized according to the condition's severity as well as other factors unique to an individual, not the least of which is severity of hypertension. Hypertension is quite common among diabetics, but it is not always present or it may already be controlled with other medications, all of which must be taken into consideration for dosage strength or whether to prescribe Amias at all.

Patients will need to consult a doctor for the ideal dosage strength, preferably a doctor familiar with the patient's history as well as diabetes. There are no official dosage & administration guidelines currently available.

Potential Side Effects

Used as directed, most patients experience only mild and transient side effects from Amias, most commonly:

• Sneezing
• Runny or stuffy nose
• Cough
• Headache
• Sore back
• Dizziness
• Joint pain
• Lack of energy

The above are not cause for concern unless severe or persistant past the first few weeks of treatment.

Weakness, tiredness, dizziness and other signs of a drop in blood pressure may be experienced at the start of treatment or following dosage adjustments. These should also stop as the body adjusts to its new lower blood pressure.

Some patients develop weakened or erratic heartbeats while taking blood pressure medications; this should be brought to the attention of a doctor.

Amias should not be used during pregnancy or if trying to conceive; it is known to be harmful to unborn babies. Effects on nursing infants are not known.