What Are the Bad Side Effects of Benicar?

Serious side effects of Benicar HCT (olmesartan medoxomil-hydrochlorothiazide), a medication used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension), include difficulty breathing or swallowing, chest pain, spinning sensation (vertigo), cough, high blood potassium (hyperkalemia), kidney failure, and muscle tissue breakdown (rhabdomyolysis).

Benicar HCT (olmesartan medoxomil-hydrochlorothiazide) a combination of olmesartan, an angiotensin II receptor antagonist, and hydrochlorothiazide, a thiazide diuretic (water pill) used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension). 

Side effects of Benicar include:

• dizziness or lightheadedness as the body adjusts to the medication,
• headache, 
• nausea, 
• diarrhea, 
• itching,
• skin rash, 
• joint or muscle pain, 
• back pain, 
• stomach/abdominal pain or upset, 
• weakness, 
• bronchitis, 
• flu-like symptoms, 
• blood in the urine, and 
• sinus infections. 

Potentially serious side effects of Benicar include:

• difficulty breathing or swallowing, 
• chest pain, 
• spinning sensation (vertigo), 
• cough, 
• high blood potassium (hyperkalemia), 
• kidney failure, and 
• muscle tissue breakdown (rhabdomyolysis).