Patient leaflet - Candesartan Cilexetil 2 mg tablets
1. What candesartan cilexetil is and what it is used for
The name of the medicine is candesartan cilexetil. The active substance is candesartan cilexetil. It belongs to a group of medicines called angiotensin II receptor antagonists. It makes your blood vessels relax and widen. This helps to lower your blood pressure. It also makes it easier for your heart to pump blood around your body.
Candesartan cilexetil can be used for:
- treatment of high blood pressure (hypertension) in adult patients and in children and adolescents aged from 6 up to 18 years.
- treating adult patients with heart failure where the heart’s ability to pump blood into the body is impaired, when ACE inhibitors (angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors) cannot be used, or with ACE inhibitors when symptoms persist despite treatment and mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs) cannot be used (ACE inhibitors and MRAs are medicines used to treat heart failure).
2. What you need to know before you take candesartan cilexetil
Do not take candesartan cilexetil
- if you are allergic to candesartan cilexetil or any of the other ingredients of this medicine (listed in section 6).
- if you are more than 3 months pregnant (it is also better to avoid candesartan cilexetil in early pregnancy, see the section on pregnancy).
- if you have severe liver disease or biliary obstruction (problems with excreting bile from the gallbladder).
- if the patient is a child under 1 year of age.
- if you are taking a blood pressure lowering medicine containing aliskiren and you have diabetes or impaired kidney function.
If you are not sure if any of these apply to you talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking candesartan cilexetil.
Warnings and precautions
Talk to your doctor before taking candesartan cilexetil
- if you have heart, liver or kidney problems or are on dialysis.
- if you have recently had a kidney transplant.
- if you are vomiting, have recently vomited a lot or have diarrhoea.
- if you have a disease of the adrenal glands called Conn’s syndrome (also called primary hyperaldosteronism).
- if you have low blood pressure.
- if you have had a brain hemorrhage.
- if you think you are (or may be) pregnant. candesartan cilexetil is not recommended early in pregnancy and you should not take candesartan cilexetil if you are more than 3 months pregnant as it can seriously harm your baby if used at this stage (see the section on pregnancy).
if you are taking any of the following medicines for high blood pressure:
- an ACE inhibitor (eg, enalapril, lisinopril, ramipril), especially if you have kidney problems related to diabetes
- aliskiren
- if you are taking an ACE inhibitor with a medicine that belongs to a class of medicines called mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs). This type of medicine is used to treat heart failure (see “Using other medicines with candesartan cilexetil).
Talk to your doctor if you experience abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting or diarrhoea after taking candesartan cilexetil. Your doctor will decide on further treatment. Do not stop taking candesartan cilexetil on your own.
Your doctor may measure your kidney function, blood pressure and electrolytes (such as potassium) in your blood at regular intervals.
See also information under the heading “Do not take candesartan cilexetil”.
If any of the above applies to you, your doctor may want to see you more often and take some tests.
If you need surgery, tell the doctor or dentist that you are taking candesartan cilexetil This is because candesartan cilexetil together with certain types of anaesthetic medicine, can cause a drop in blood pressure.
Children and adolescents
Candesartan cilexetil has been studied in children. Contact your doctor for more information. Candesartan cilexetil should not be given to children under 1 year of age due to the potential risk to developing kidneys.
Other medicines and candesartan cilexetil
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have recently taken or might take any other medicines.
In particular, tell the doctor if you are taking any of the following medicines: the doctor may need to change your dose and/or take other precautions:
- Other medicines for high blood pressure, including beta-blockers, diazoxide and ACE inhibitors such as enalapril, captopril, lisinopril or ramipril.
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen, naproxen, diclofenac, celecoxib or etoricoxib (medicines that relieve pain and inflammation-like conditions).
- Acetylsalicylic acid (if you take more than 3 g a day) (medicine that relieves pain and inflammation-like conditions).
- Potassium supplements or potassium salt substitutes (medicines that increase the level of potassium in the blood).
- Heparin (blood-thinning medicine).
- CoTrimoxazole (antibiotic), also called trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole.
- Diuretics
- Lithium (medicine for mental disorders).
- If you are also taking an ACE inhibitor or aliskiren (see also information under the headings “Do not take candesartan cilexetil and “Warnings and precautions”).
- If you are being treated with an ACE inhibitor together with certain other heart failure medicines called mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (e.g. spironolactone, eplerenone).
Candesartan cilexetil with food, drink and alcohol
- You can take candesartan cilexetil with or without food.
- When you are prescribed candesartan cilexetil, talk to your doctor before drinking alcohol. Alcohol can make you feel unwell or dizzy.
Pregnancy and breast-feeding
Pregnancy
You should tell your doctor if you think you are (or may become) pregnant. The doctor will usually advise you to stop taking candesartan cilexetil before you become pregnant, or as soon as you know you are pregnant, and will advise you to take other medicines instead of candesartan cilexetil. Candesartan cilexetil is not recommended early in pregnancy and should not be taken if you are more than 3 months pregnant, as it can seriously harm your baby if used after the third month of pregnancy.
Breastfeeding
Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or about to start breastfeeding. Candesartan cilexetil is not recommended for breastfeeding mothers and your doctor may choose a different treatment for you if you wish to breastfeed, especially if your baby is newborn or born prematurely.
Driving and using machines
Some people may feel tired and dizzy when they are taking candesartan cilexetil. Do not drive a car or motorcycle, and do not ride a bicycle or work with tools or machinery if this happens to you.
Candesartan cilexetil contains lactose
Lactose is a type of sugar. Consult your doctor before taking this medicine if your doctor has told you that you cannot tolerate certain sugars.
3. How to take candesartan cilexetil
Always take the medicine exactly as directed by your doctor. If in doubt, ask your doctor or pharmacist. It is important to take candesartan cilexetil every day.
You can take candesartan cilexetil with or without food. Swallow the tablet with water. Try to take the tablet at the same time each day. This will help you to remember to take the tablet.
High blood pressure:
- The recommended dose of candesartan cilexetil is 8 mg once daily. Depending on the effect on your blood pressure, the doctor may increase the dose to 16 mg once daily and up to 32 mg once daily.
In some patients, such as those with liver or kidney problems or those who have recently lost fluid, for example through vomiting or diarrhoea or by taking diuretics, the doctor may prescribe a lower starting dose.
- Patients with black skin may have less effect from this type of medicine when it is given as the only blood pressure treatment, and these patients may need a larger dose.
Use in children and adolescents with hypertensión:
Children aged from 6 to 18 years:
The recommended starting dose is 4 mg once daily.
For patients weighing less than 50 kg: For some patients whose blood pressure is not sufficiently under control, the doctor may decide to increase the dose to a maximum of 8 mg once daily.
For patients weighing 50 kg or more: for some patients whose blood pressure is not sufficiently controlled, the doctor may decide to increase the dose to 8 mg once daily and to 16 mg once daily.
Heart failure in adults:
- The recommended starting dose of candesartan cilexetil is 4 mg once daily. The doctor may increase the dose by doubling it at intervals of at least 2 weeks up to 32 mg once daily. Candesartan cilexetil can be taken with other heart medicines and your doctor will decide which treatment is best for you.
If you take more candesartan cilexetil than you should
Contact your doctor, emergency room, or pharmacist if you have taken more candesartan cilexetil than this information says, or more than your doctor has prescribed (and you feel unwell).
If you forget to take candesartan cilexetil
Do not take a double dose to replace the forgotten tablet. Take the next dose at the usual time.
If you stop taking candesartan cilexetil
Your blood pressure may rise again if you stop taking candesartan cilexetil. Therefore, do not stop taking candesartan cilexetil without talking to your doctor first.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any doubts.
4. Possible side effects
Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them. It is important that you are aware of what these side effects may be.
Stop taking candesartan cilexetil and seek immediate medical attention if you experience any of the following hypersensitivity reactions:
- difficulty breathing with or without swelling of the face, lips, tongue and/or throat
- swelling of the face, lips, tongue and/or throat, which may cause difficulty in swallowing
- severe skin itching (with swelling of the skin)
Candesartan cilexetil may cause a reduced white blood cell count. Your resistance to infections may be reduced and you may notice fatigue, infection or fever. Talk to your doctor if you experience this. The doctor may take blood tests occasionally to check whether candesartan cilexetil is affecting your blood (agranulocytosis).
Other side effects are:
Common side effects (occurring in between 1 and 10 out of 100 patients)
- Dizziness/ snoring sensation.
- Headache.
- Respiratory infection.
- Low blood pressure. May make you feel unwell or dizzy.
Changes in blood tests:
- High potassium levels in the blood, especially if you already have kidney problems or heart failure. If this is severe, you may feel tired, weak, have an irregular heartbeat or a tingling/ singing sensation somewhere on your body.
- Influence on kidney function, especially if you already have kidney problems or heart failure. In very rare cases, kidney failure may occur.
Very rare side effects (occurring in fewer than 1 in 10,000)
- Swelling of the face, lips, tongue and/or neck.
- Decrease in red or white blood cell count. You may notice fatigue, infection or fever.
- Skin rash, hives.
- Itching.
- Back pain, pain in joints and muscles.
- Changes in liver function, including hepatitis. You may notice fatigue, yellowing of your skin or whites of your eyes, or flu-like symptoms.
- Nausea.
Changes in blood tests:
- Decreased blood sodium level. If this is severe, you may feel fatigue, lack of energy or muscle cramps.
- Cough
- Intestinal angioedema: a swelling in the gut presenting with symptoms like abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea.
Not known (frequency cannot be estimated from available data)
- Diarrhoea
- Tinnitus
Additional side effects in children
In children being treated for hypertension, the side effects seem similar to those seen in adults, but they occur more often. Sore throat is a very common side effect in children but is not reported for adults, and runny nose, fever and increased heart rate are common in children but are not reported for adults.
Reporting of side effects
If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via the Yellow Card Scheme Website: www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard, or search for MHRA Yellow Card in the Google Play or Apple App Store. By reporting side effects you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.
5. How to store candesartan cilexetil
Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children.
Do not use this medicine after the expiry date which is stated on the label, carton, bottle or blister after EXP. The expiry date refers to the last day of that month.
Do not throw away any medicines via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to throw away medicines you no longer use. These measures will help protect the environment.
6. Contents of the pack and other information
What candesartan cilexetil contains
The active substance is candesartan cilexetil.
The other excipients are:
Lactose monohydrate, Maize starch, Hydroxypropylcellulose, Carmellose calcium , Polyethylene glycol 8000 (Macrogol), Magnesium stearate.
What candesartan cilexetil looks like and contents of the pack
- Candesartan 2 mg: Round tablets of approx. 7mm diameter, white colour with a “2” in one of the faces.
- Candesartan 4 mg: Round tablets of approx. 7mm diameter, white colour with a score line on one of the faces and a “4” on the other one.
Package sizes
Tablets are available in:
2 mg pack-sizes:
Blister: 10, 14, 20, 28, 30, 42, 50, 56, 84, 90, 98, 100 tablets
Bottle: 140 tablets
4 mg pack-sizes:
Blister: 10, 14, 20, 28, 30, 42, 50, 56, 84, 90, 98, 100 tablets
Bottle: 90, 98, 100 tablets
Not all pack sizes are necessarily marketed.
Marketing Authorisation Holder and Manufacturer
Marketing Authorisation Holder
Laboratorios Liconsa S.A.
Calle Dulcinea SN
Alcalá de Henares
28805, Madrid
Spain
Manufacturer
Laboratorios Liconsa S.A.
Avda. Miralcampo, Nº 7
Pol. Ind. Miralcampo
19200 Azuqueca de Henares, Guadalajara
Spain
This leaflet was last revised in JUNE 2026
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