Telmisartan lowers blood pressure by relaxing blood vessels. It is one of the most widely prescribed blood pressure medicines in India, and it protects the heart and kidneys as well.
- Generic name
- Telmisartan
- Active ingredient
- Telmisartan
- Common brands in India
- Telma, Telmikind, Telsartan, Telpres, Telvas
- Available as
- Tablet
- Common strengths
- 20 mg, 40 mg, 80 mg
- How it is sold
- Prescription only — needs a doctor's prescription
No dosage information on this page
The correct dose depends on your age, weight, kidney and liver function, other medicines and medical history. Follow the dose your doctor prescribed, or the instructions on the pack. Never copy a dose from a website or from someone else's prescription.
What Telmisartan is used for
- High blood pressure
- Protecting the kidneys in people with diabetes
- Reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke in people at high risk
- Often combined in one tablet with amlodipine or a diuretic when a single medicine is not enough
How it works
Your body makes a chemical called angiotensin II that tightens blood vessels and pushes blood pressure up. Telmisartan blocks it from acting, so the vessels stay relaxed and the pressure falls. Medicines in this group are called angiotensin receptor blockers, or ARBs.
How to take Telmisartan
- It can be taken with or without food.
- Take it at about the same time each day. Most people take it in the morning, but the time matters far less than taking it every day.
- Do not stop it because your reading has become normal. The reading is normal because of the tablet.
- Stand up slowly for the first few days, particularly from bed, as it can make you light-headed at first.
Precautions
- Tell your doctor immediately if you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant — see the warning below.
- Do not take potassium supplements or potassium-based salt substitutes unless your doctor has told you to. Telmisartan can raise potassium.
- Your doctor will check kidney function and potassium with blood tests, usually soon after starting and periodically afterwards.
- Tell your doctor about kidney or liver disease, and about narrowing of the arteries to the kidneys.
- Be careful with dehydration — a stomach bug with vomiting or diarrhoea can drop your blood pressure too far while on this medicine.
Common side effects
Not everyone gets side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these are troublesome or do not settle.
- Dizziness or light-headedness, especially in the first few days
- Tiredness
- Back pain or muscle aches
- Raised potassium, which is picked up on blood tests rather than felt
- Rarely, low blood pressure causing faintness
Important warnings
- Telmisartan must not be taken during pregnancy. It can seriously harm a developing baby, particularly after the first three months. If you become pregnant while taking it, stop and contact your doctor the same day so an alternative can be started.
- Do not stop this medicine on your own. Blood pressure that is well controlled is controlled by the medicine, and stopping lets it rise again silently.
- Swelling of the face, lips or tongue, or difficulty breathing, is a rare but serious reaction. Stop the medicine and get emergency help.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should telmisartan be taken in the morning or at night?
Either works. What matters is taking it at the same time every day so the level in your blood stays steady. If it makes you light-headed, some people find night-time easier. Follow whatever your doctor advised.
Does telmisartan cause a cough?
It usually does not. A persistent dry cough is a well-known effect of the ACE inhibitor group of blood pressure medicines, such as ramipril or enalapril, and telmisartan is often prescribed instead precisely because it rarely causes it. If you have a nagging cough on a BP medicine, tell your doctor rather than stopping it.
Can I stop telmisartan once my blood pressure is normal?
No, not on your own. High blood pressure is usually a lifelong condition, and a normal reading means the treatment is working rather than that the problem has gone. Stopping lets the pressure climb back, usually without any symptoms to warn you.
What are the side effects of telmisartan?
Dizziness in the first few days is the most common, along with tiredness and back pain. Raised potassium can occur and is picked up on blood tests. Most people take it for years without difficulty.
What this costs, and what is free
Commonly available free at government hospitals and health and wellness centres when prescribed there.
Generic versions are sold at Jan Aushadhi Kendras at substantially lower prices than branded packs of the same medicine.
The same molecule is sold under many brand names at very different prices. Ask your doctor to write the generic name, and compare at a Jan Aushadhi Kendra — the saving on a medicine taken daily is often substantial over a year. You can look up any medicine's official ceiling price on NPPA's Pharma Sahi Daam app.
Source: Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP), National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA)
Prices and scheme rules change. Confirm current details with the hospital or Kendra before you rely on them.
Looking for Telmisartan locally?Aswini Medicals is a pharmacy that stocks everyday medicines and can advise on availability.
Visit Aswini Medicals