The name of your medicine is Aldactone. It comes in packs of 100 tablets. Aldactone 100mg also comes
in calendar packs of 28 tablets.

What’s in your Aldactone tablets?

Active ingredients: Each Aldactone 25mg tablet contains 25mg of spironolactone. Aldactone 50mg tablets contain 50mg of spironolactone and
Aldactone 100mg tablets contain 100mg of spironolactone.
Inactive ingredients: Your Aldactone tablets also contain calcium sulphate dihydrate, corn starch,
polyvinylpyrrolidone, magnesium stearate, felcofix peppermint, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose,
polyethylene glycol and opaspray yellow [E171 and E172]. Aldactone 50mg contains opaspray white [E171]
instead of opaspray yellow.
Aldactone belongs to a group of medicines called ‘diuretics’ - you may know these as ‘water’ tablets.

Who supplies Aldactone?

Aldactone is supplied by:
Pharmacia Limited
Davy Avenue, Milton Keynes
MK5 8PH, UK.
It is made by:
Pharmacia Limited
Morpeth, Northumberland
NE61 3YA, UK.

Why are you taking Aldactone?

You may have gone to your doctor because you had swollen ankles or were short of breath. This can happen when your heart’s pumping action has
become weak because of too much fluid in your body. This is called ‘congestive heart failure’. Pushing extra fluid around your body means your
heart has to work harder. Your doctor has given you Aldactone to help you lose the extra fluid from your body. This will mean your heart has to do less work. You lose the extra fluid as urine, so you may need to go to the toilet more often while your are taking
Aldactone.
You can also take Aldactone for the following illnesses:

• ‘Nephrotic syndrome’ - a kidney disorder that causes too much fluid in your body;
• ‘Ascites’ - too much fluid in your abdomen, for example caused by cirrhosis of the liver;
• ‘Primary aldosteronism’ - extra fluid in your body caused by too much of a hormone called ‘aldosterone’.

If you have these illnesses, Aldactone will help your body to get rid of the extra fluid.

Before taking Aldactone

Don’t take Aldactone if:

• you have had an unusual or allergic reaction to spironolactone;
• you have Addison’s disease;
• you cannot pass urine; or
• you are breast feeding.

Tell your doctor if:

• you suffer from kidney or liver disease;
• you are pregnant;
• you are taking digoxin or carbenoxolone;
• you are taking medicines for high blood pressure, other diuretics, or a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) such as aspirin or ibuprofen; or
• you are taking potassium supplements.
• Before you have an anaesthetic, tell the doctor in charge that you are taking Aldactone.

How to use Aldactone

• Follow your doctor’s instructions on how many Aldactone tablets to take and when. The pharmacist’s label on the pack also gives this information. The number of tablets you need to take depends on your illness. For adults, this may be from 50mg a day to 400mg a day. If you are not sure, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
• If you are giving Aldactone to a child, the number of tablets you give will depend on the child’s weight. Your doctor will work out the number of tablets that you should give.
• Take Aldactone with food.
• Keep taking Aldactone until your doctor tells you to stop. Don’t stop just because you feel better. If you do, your condition may get worse.
• If you forget to take a dose, take another one as soon as you remember. But if it is almost time for your next dose, do not take the dose you have missed. Then go on as before. Don’t take more than one dose at a time.
• If you accidentally take too many tablets, contact your doctor immediately.
• Your Aldactone tablets are for you. You must not give them to other people.

Does Aldactone have side effects?

• Most people who take Aldactone have no problems.
• A few people get an upset stomach, a headache or skin rash. They may also feel weak, drowsy or confused, or have muscle twitches. Women may have heavy or irregular periods, and their breasts may feel sore. Men may become impotent for a while.
• Some men’s breasts may increase in size. Tell your doctor if this happens to you. Your breasts will usually return to their normal size when you stop taking Aldactone.
• Very rarely women’s voices may deepen and there may be an increase in body and facial hair.
• Very few people have an allergic reaction to Aldactone. But if this happens to you, tell your doctor as soon as possible.
• Tell your doctor if you notice any other problems while taking Aldactone.

Storage instructions

• Keep your tablets in a dry place, below 30C, where children cannot see or reach them.
• Don’t take Aldactone after the ‘expiry’ date shown on the pack. Instead, take the tablets back to your pharmacist, who will dispose of them safely.

This leaflet was written in October 2001.
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