Can You Crush Hydrochlorothiazide?
In our latest question and answer, the pharmacist discusses whether or not hydrochlorothiazide tablets can be crushed.
I know hydrochlorothiazide tablets are small but for some reason, I'm still having issues swallowing them. Are they okay and safe to crush up?
Jun 11, 2022- Hydrochlorothiazide tablets can be crushed and mixed with liquid or food, but you should take the dose right away rather than storing the crushed powder.
- If you have a capsule form of hydrochlorothiazide, you can open the capsule and mix the contents with liquid or food instead of crushing it.
- There is no commercially available liquid version of hydrochlorothiazide, though some compounding pharmacies can prepare a liquid version for you if crushing tablets becomes inconvenient.
Thanks for reaching out! Yes, hydrochlorothiazide tablets can be crushed and mixed with a liquid or food before taking.
I emphasize tablets because hydrochlorothiazide also is available in capsule form. The capsule form of hydrochlorothiazide should not be crushed, but, if you need to, the capsules can be opened and the contents mixed with liquid or food before taking.
After crushing a hydrochlorothiazide tablet, it is important to take your dose right away. You should not store the crushed powder for future use.
Is There A Liquid Version?
There is no commercially available liquid version of hydrochlorothiazide on the market currently.
There used to be a 50mg/5mL solution, manufactured by Hikma Pharmaceuticals, but that was discontinued, unfortunately.
If you are finding that you need to crush your hydrochlorothiazide tablets for every single dose you take, and you find that cumbersome, you may be able to find a pharmacy that can compound a liquid version for you.
Several studies have found that a liquid version, made at a concentration of either 2mg/mL or 5mg/mL, can be safely compounded and stored at room temperature for up to 10 weeks.
You likely would have to find a pharmacy specializing in compounding though to have this as an option. It may be much more expensive than just continuing to use tablets as well.
Final Words
Thanks again for your question and please don't hesitate to reach back out!
References & sources
- Neonates need tailored drug formulations — PubMed
- Stability of labetalol hydrochloride, metoprolol tartrate, verapamil hydrochloride, and spironolactone with hydrochlorothiazide in extemporaneously compounded oral liquids — PubMed
- Luukkonen P, Totterman AM, Rasilainen M, et al: Formulation of enteral hydrochlorothiazide suspension intended for premature infants.
Glossary — Terms in This Answer
- Hydrochlorothiazide
- A medication used to treat high blood pressure and remove excess fluid from the body.
- Tablets
- Solid, flat forms of medication that can be swallowed whole or crushed.
- Capsule
- A gelatin shell containing medication that can be opened to access the powder inside.
- Compounded
- A medication that is specially mixed or prepared by a pharmacy to meet a specific patient's needs.
- Concentration
- The amount of active medication dissolved in a liquid, expressed as weight per volume.
- Commercially available
- A product that is produced and sold by manufacturers for purchase by the general public.
- Solution
- A liquid form of medication where the active ingredient is completely dissolved.
- Discontinued
- A product that is no longer manufactured or produced by a company.
Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD
Doctor of Pharmacy, board certified clinical pharmacist (BCPS), American Herbalist Guild, Medication Therapy Management certified
Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS, is a licensed pharmacist with more than 13 years of experience across retail pharmacy, clinical pharmacy, medication safety, pharmacy program development, and healthcare administration. He is the founder of HelloPharmacist.com, where he helps patients...
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