Manufacturer: Sun Pharma
Pharmaceutical name: Olmesartan Medoxomil
Pack: 10 pills (40 mg)
Olmezest is an angiotensin II receptor blocker that treats hypertension in individuals with elevated blood pressure who are at risk for cardiovascular diseases, helping to prevent strokes and heart attacks. By lowering blood pressure to normal levels, Olmezest enables the heart to function more efficiently and decreases the likelihood of cardiovascular issues and damage to vital organs. It can be prescribed alone as monotherapy or alongside other antihypertensive medications, such as diuretics (water pills).
Olmezest contains Olmesartan Medoxomil, which is an angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB). It works by inhibiting the attachment of the hormone angiotensin II to its receptors found in various tissues, including vascular smooth muscle (such as heart and blood vessel walls) and kidney cells. Angiotensin II is a hormone produced naturally in the body that plays multiple roles in regulating blood pressure, which is the force necessary to circulate blood throughout the body, as well as maintaining fluid balance, specifically the water eliminated from the blood by the kidneys. Angiotensin II causes the kidneys to retain salt (sodium and potassium) and water, while also causing blood vessels to constrict (narrow); this leads to an increase in blood volume and a decrease in blood vessel volume, thereby raising blood pressure. The Olmesartan in Olmezest blocks the interaction between Angiotensin II and its receptor, counteracting its blood pressure-raising effects by promoting blood vessel dilation (widening) and enhancing the removal of salt and water by the kidneys into the urine, ultimately resulting in lower blood pressure.
The most frequently reported side effects of taking Olmezest include: upper respiratory tract infections such as sinusitis or bronchitis, flu-like symptoms, dizziness, cough, diarrhea, nausea, abdominal pain, headache, fatigue, back pain, peripheral edema, and alterations in blood salt levels.