Irbesartan-Hydrochlorothiazide Coupons & Prices

Looking for an irbesartan-hydrochlorothiazide coupon? Irbesartan and hydrochlorothiazide is the generic version of Avalide, a single tablet that combines two blood pressure medicines. An FDA-approved generic is available, but the cash price still varies a lot from one pharmacy to the next, even between stores in the same town. Rx.com compares prices across more than 60,000 pharmacies and gives you a free coupon you can show at the counter. Enter your ZIP above to see today's price near you.

What is irbesartan and hydrochlorothiazide, and how does it work?

Irbesartan and hydrochlorothiazide is a fixed-dose combination tablet that pairs two different types of blood pressure medicine. Irbesartan is an angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB), which relaxes blood vessels so blood flows more easily. Hydrochlorothiazide is a thiazide diuretic, or "water pill," which helps your body remove extra salt and fluid. Together they lower blood pressure more than either one usually does alone.

It is FDA-approved to treat high blood pressure (hypertension) in adults, to lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of cardiovascular events such as strokes and heart attacks. It is meant for people whose blood pressure is not well controlled on irbesartan or hydrochlorothiazide alone, and it may also be used as a first medicine in people who are likely to need more than one drug to reach their goal. It is not recommended as a starting therapy for people who are low on fluids. The tablets come in 150 mg/12.5 mg and 300 mg/12.5 mg strengths, and a 300 mg/25 mg strength also exists.

What irbesartan-hydrochlorothiazide costs without insurance

Because a generic exists, most people fill this as the generic rather than the brand. What surprises people is how much the cash price can differ between pharmacies for the exact same tablet and quantity. Two pharmacies a few miles apart can quote very different numbers, which is why it pays to compare before you fill instead of defaulting to whichever store is closest.

If you have no insurance, or if your plan's copay is higher than the cash price, an Rx.com coupon is free to use and does not require insurance or a membership. Enter your ZIP above to see today's price at pharmacies near you, then show the coupon to the pharmacist. There is no manufacturer savings card for this generic combination. Ask your pharmacist to run the coupon and your insurance separately and use whichever is lower.

Alternatives and related medicines

Irbesartan-hydrochlorothiazide is sold under the brand name Avalide in the US (and as CoAprovel in some other countries). If your prescription is written for the brand, see Avalide; the single-ingredient ARB is sold as Avapro and generically as irbesartan.

Several other ARB plus water-pill combinations work in a similar way, and prices differ between them. Only your prescriber can decide which one is right for you, but it can help to know the options when you talk with them:

• losartan and hydrochlorothiazide (the ARB alone is losartan)
• valsartan and hydrochlorothiazide
• olmesartan and hydrochlorothiazide
• telmisartan and hydrochlorothiazide
• lisinopril and hydrochlorothiazide (an ACE inhibitor rather than an ARB, plus the same water pill)

Safety information you should know

This medicine carries an FDA boxed warning for fetal toxicity: drugs that act on the renin-angiotensin system can injure or kill a developing baby. It should be stopped as soon as pregnancy is detected, and it is contraindicated in pregnancy. It is also contraindicated in people who cannot produce urine (anuria) and in people allergic to sulfonamide medicines, because of the hydrochlorothiazide component. It should not be combined with aliskiren in people with diabetes, and combining it with an ACE inhibitor or another ARB raises the risk of low blood pressure, high potassium, and kidney problems.

Other risks on the label include dizziness or fainting from low blood pressure (most likely if you are low on fluids or salt, such as on a high-dose diuretic), high potassium, and a decline in kidney function, especially with narrowed kidney arteries, heart failure, or fluid loss. Hydrochlorothiazide can shift your electrolytes (low potassium, low sodium, low magnesium), raise uric acid and trigger gout, raise calcium, raise blood sugar, and raise cholesterol and triglycerides. It can also cause sudden nearsightedness or acute angle-closure glaucoma, usually within hours to weeks of starting, and rarely a serious lung reaction; long-term thiazide use has been linked to a higher risk of non-melanoma skin cancer. Your provider will typically monitor your potassium, sodium, and kidney function, and use extra caution with potassium supplements, potassium-sparing diuretics, lithium, and NSAIDs. This page is information only, not medical advice. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist about your own situation, and read the label that comes with your prescription.