Pharex steps up battle vs. hypertension

MANILA, Philippines - Top generic medicines provider Pharex HealthCorp steps up its drive to help Filipinos battle hypertension with the launch of its newest drug, Hydrochlorothiazide or HCTZ.

HCTZ is a thiazide diuretic or water pill that helps prevent the body from absorbing too much salt, which can cause fluid retention. This function is instrumental in the treatment of hypertension as it helps decrease blood pressure by promoting diuresis or the increase in the rate of urination. Increasing diuresis or urination promotes excretion of sodium and chloride in the kidneys and consequently of water, which mostly comprise blood volume.

“Pharex has always taken an active step in the Philippines’ battle against hypertension. With the inclusion of HCTZ in our portfolio of hypertension medicines, we hope to give Filipinos access to a wider range high-quality and affordable medications to help them manage hypertension,” says Pharex HealthCorp president and chief executive officer Tomas Marcelo Agana III.

HCTZ provides the first line of defense for mild and uncomplicated hypertension. According to Dr. Amado Nazal, Pharex HealthCorp medical director, the Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure (JNC 7) has advocated the use of thiazide diuretics as a first line of defense against hypertension.

“The JNC 7 recommends the use of thiazide diuretics for most patients with uncomplicated hypertension, either alone or combined with drugs from other classes of anti-hypertensives. For severe hypertension, the JNC guidelines recommend that consideration should be given to initiating therapy with two agents, one of which usually should be a thiazide-type diuretic,” explains Dr. Nazal.

Studies show that thiazide diuretics have been proven effective in achieving blood pressure control while enhancing the anti-hypertensive efficacy of other drugs.

Apart from treating hypertension, HCTZ is indicated for the treatment of edema associated with heart failure, renal and liver disorders, and diabetes insipidus, a condition characterized by the excretion of large amounts of diluted urine. It also effectively prevents water retention associated with the intake of other drugs like steroids and estrogen, and prevents renal calculus in patients with hypercalciuria or excess of calcium in urine.

As with most diuretics, administration of HCTZ should be with utmost care as it may cause fluid and electrolyte imbalance if wrongly used. Adds Dr. Nazal: “But minimal side effects aside, HCTZ is a good and reliable drug to complement other anti-hypertensives. It works synergistically with most drugs to help in the control of hypertension while minimizing their side effects. It is a good choice as a combination or add-on drug for other anti-hypertensive drugs such as ACE inhibitors, calcium channel blockers, beta blockers, and angiotensin II receptor antagonists or ARBs.”

Most importantly, Pharex’s HCTZ provides patients a more affordable anti-hypertensive treatment, reflecting the company’s commitment to giving Filipinos quality, affordable healthcare. It is priced lower by almost 50 percent compared with branded hypertensive drugs on the market today.