Benicar HCT can cause injury or death to a developing fetus when used after the third month of pregnancy.
Consult your health care professional immediately if you think that you are pregnant.

Hydrochlorothiazide is a thiazide diuretic (water pill) that helps prevent your body from absorbing too much salt, which can cause fluid retention.
Olmesartan is in a group of drugs called angiotensin II receptor antagonists. Olmesartan keeps blood vessels from narrowing, which lowers blood pressure and improves blood flow.
The combination of olmesartan and hydrochlorothiazide is used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension).

Take this medication exactly as it was prescribed for you. Do not take the medication in larger amounts, or take it for longer than recommended by your doctor.
Take this medication with a full glass (8 ounces) of water.

Contact your doctor immediately if you notice any of the symptoms listed below or any other symptoms which seem severe/persistent.
bleeding/bruising
difficulty breathing
difficulty swallowing
dizziness
hoarseness/tightening of the throat
redness/blistering/peeling/loosening of the skin(including inside the mouth)
swelling of your face/lips/tongue/hands/feet
unusual rash
light-headedness/fainting spells
decreased amount of urine passed
decreased sexual function
fast/irregular heart beat/palpitations/chest pain
fever/chills
muscle cramps/pain
stomach pain
unusual tiredness/weakness
vomiting
worsened gout pain
yellowing of the eyes/skin
pinpoint red spots on the skin
confusion

Before taking olmesartan and hydrochlorothiazide, tell your doctor if you are using any of the following drugs:
any other blood pressure medications;
steroids (prednisone and others);
lithium (Eskalith, Lithobid);
cholestyramine (Prevalite, Questran) or colestipol (Colestid);
insulin or diabetes medicine you take by mouth;
a barbiturate;
any other diuretics;
aspirin or other NSAIDs;
a muscle relaxer;
a narcotic medication.
Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.

Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine.
Overdose symptoms may include fast or slow heartbeat, feeling light-headed, or fainting.

It may take up to 4 weeks for this medication to control your blood pressure. Keep using this medication even if you feel fine. High blood pressure often has no symptoms.
If you need to have any type of surgery, tell the surgeon ahead of time that you are using olmesartan and hydrochlorothiazide. You may need to stop using the medicine for a short time.

Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take the medicine at the next regularly scheduled time. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

The combination of olmesartan and hydrochlorothiazide is used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension).

Store olmesartan and hydrochlorothiazide at room temperature away from moisture and heat.

Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are pregnant. Olmesartan and hydrochlorothiazide may cause injury and even death to the unborn baby if you take it during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy. Use an effective form of birth control. Stop using this medication and tell your doctor right away if you become pregnant during treatment. Avoid drinking alcohol. It can lower your blood pressure and may increase some of the side effects of olmesartan and hydrochlorothiazide. In rare cases, hydrochlorothiazide and olmesartan can cause a condition that results in the breakdown of skeletal muscle tissue, leading to kidney failure. Call your doctor right away if you have muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness especially if you also have fever, nausea or vomiting, and dark colored urine.