Sevikar: Buying combined hypertension medication online in the UK

Sevikar is combined medicine available in the form of a once-daily tablet. Developed and manufactured by Daiichi Pharmaceuticals, Sevikar can be bought in the UK with a valid prescription issued by a certified medical professional. As a combination treatment, it is commonly prescribed in those cases where a single-agent medicine failed to produce the desired results.

What’s on this page?

Sevikar contains two active ingredients with both of them affecting the smooth muscle tissue lining the arterial walls, causing it to relax and consequentially widening the blood vessels, allowing the blood to pass through easily, thus lowering blood pressure. By reducing tension in blood vessels, this medicine will increase oxygen supply to the heart, thus not only helping with hypertension, but also diminishing the risk of further complications.

High blood pressure (hypertension): A short overview

Hypertension is a medical term used to denote a condition more commonly known as high blood pressure. People affected by this condition will usually experience either very non-specific symptoms or no symptoms at all, which makes it that harder to identify. However, since hypertension is a condition where the heart has to beat with more exertion than in otherwise healthy individuals in order to sufficiently circulate blood throughout the body, when left untreated it can lead to numerous more severe complications.

Hypertension is a relatively common condition, with NHS estimates putting the number of people affected at roughly 30% of the population of the UK. However, when we take into consideration the fact that high blood pressure is not that easy to identify unless an individual is tested exactly for that condition, some experts argue that the real number might be even higher.

How is high blood pressure diagnosed?

Blood pressure is measured by a mercury-propelled device. The gauge will provide the user with two readings – with the first of them being the measure of how much force the heart has to beat with in order to get moving and the second how much pressure is exerted on the blood vessels in the resting periods between heartbeats. The former is called systolic pressure, while the latter is called diastolic pressure.

With this in mind, blood pressure is measured as a two figure reading, usually read as ‘systolic pressure over diastolic’. The doctor will diagnose a patient with hypertension if two separate and consecutive readings confirm blood pressure of 140 over 90 or higher.

What causes hypertension?

As of now, there is no consensus when it comes to causes of high blood pressure. Despite this, several risk factors have been identified. Most importantly, the correlation between age and risk of developing hypertension has been highlighted by numerous studies. On the other hand, most experts agree that it is highly likely that genetic and hence hereditary factors play a prominent if not central role in the development of this condition. Some of the more recent studies seem to indicate that this condition is also somewhere more prevalent among people of African or Caribbean descent, as compared to other ethnic groups.

Aside from this, there are different harmful lifestyle choices and habits that have been shown to act as risk factors. These include:

• Excessive alcohol consumption
• Excessive caffeine consumption
• Being overweight
• Lack of physical activity
• Smoking
• A diet rich in salts

When commencing treatment, the doctor will usually recommend taking certain steps in order to eliminate or at least improve these harmful practices. In milder cases, just lifestyle changes might be enough to bring blood pressure back to normal levels.

Sevikar in the treatment of high blood pressure

Sevikar is a combination treatment which is prescribed in those cases when a single-agent drug failed to produce the desired results. As such, Sevikar relies on two active ingredients, an angiotensin II receptor antagonist olmesartan medoxomil and a calcium-channel blocker, amlodipine. Olmesartan works by inhibiting the activity of a hormone called angiotensin II which is known to cause the blood vessels to narrow due to contraction of smooth muscle tissue lining them.

However, the effect calcium has on the blood vessels is very comparable to angiotensin II. As olmesartan can’t do anything to mitigate this effect, this is where amlodipine comes into play – this compound will inhibit the effects of calcium to a significant extent, thus helping the blood vessels to dilate, contributing to a better circulation and allowing the blood to move more freely. As a result, the strain on the heart will be significantly eased since less force will be needed to pump the blood throughout the body.

How is Sevikar used?

In order to ensure optimal results when using Sevikar while at the same time minimising the risk of side effects, you should precisely follow the guidelines provided to you by your prescriber. If there are any open questions you might have, it is vital to get the answers prior to commencing your treatment. You can do this either by consulting your doctor again or reading through the official patient information leaflet that is issued within every pack of the medicine.

Here we will provide you with just some of the most general guidelines so you can get a better idea of what Sevikar treatment involves:

• Always take as prescribed
• The exact dose will be determined and can be later changed only by your prescriber
• It is not uncommon to change the dose following certain period of use
• Sevikar is taken once per day
• You can take Sevikar capsule at any time of the day, with or without food
• Avoid grapefruit while using this medicine
• It is recommended to try and take the daily dose at around the same time each day as you will be more likely to forget a dose this way
• Do not chew or open the capsule – take it whole with a glass of water
• Never exceed the prescribed amount
• If you forget to take a dose, do not compensate by doubling on the next one – simply continue the treatment as usual

Keep in mind that this is not intended to be used as a guide – from exact guidelines, please refer to the official patient information leaflet.

What are Sevikar side effects?

All prescription medicines come with a risk of causing certain side effects in people who are susceptible to them which is why it is always a good idea to get familiar with possible adverse effect prior to commencing treatment with any prescription drug.

You should immediately stop using Sevikar and contact your doctor if you notice:

• Symptoms indicative of an allergic reaction
• Swelling of the face, mouth or larynx
• Itchy rash
• Low blood pressure
• Dizziness and light-headedness

When we take a look at how often, statistically speaking, certain side effects do occur, we can describe them in the following manner:

It is important to note that this is not a full list of Sevikar side effects. For a more comprehensive overview, please refer to the official information leaflet.

Is Sevikar safe for me?

This is the answer that only your doctor can give the answer to. Suitability of any given individual for Sevikar treatment will depend on numerous factors which is why doctor will have to assess your condition and get a detailed picture about your medical history and profile prior to issuing a prescription. Naturally, there are certain situations when the doctor will advise the patient against using Sevikar.

This can be the case, for example, if you are currently using some other medicine that has been known to interact with Sevikar, including:

• Potassium supplements
• Salt substitutes
• Diuretics
• Heparin
• Lithium
• NSAIDs
• Ritonavir
• HIV medicines
• Antifungal medicines
• Antibiotics
• John’s wort
• Dantrolene
• Simvastatin

In addition to this, there are certain conditions which might make Sevikar treatment rather risky. These include:

• Liver problems
• Gallbladder disease
• Low blood pressure
• Insufficient blood supply to the tissues
• Poor blood flow to the heart
• Kidney problems
• Diarrhoea
• High potassium levels

Finally, Sevikar shouldn’t be used by women who are pregnant, are trying to conceive or are currently breastfeeding.