amiloride vs hydrochlorothiazide/triamterene

PlainMeds reviewed this comparison against our methodology in August 2026. It places FDA and CMS record fields side by side, without recommending either medication.

Side-by-side comparison of amiloride and hydrochlorothiazide/triamterene. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.

minor Known Drug Interaction

Use of lisinopril with potassium-sparing diuretics (e.g., spironolactone, eplerenone, triamterene, or amiloride), potassium supplements, or potassium-containing salt substitutes may lead to significant increases in serum potassium.

Drug Class
amiloride Potassium-Sparing Diuretic
hydrochlorothiazide/triamterene Thiazide / Potassium-Sparing Diuretic Combination
Type
amiloride Prescription
hydrochlorothiazide/triamterene Prescription
Summary
amiloride

Amiloride is a water pill that helps your body hold onto potassium. It is often used with other water pills to prevent low potassium levels.

hydrochlorothiazide/triamterene

This medicine combines lisinopril and hydrochlorothiazide to lower high blood pressure. Lowering blood pressure reduces the risk of strokes and heart attacks.

What It Treats
amiloride

Amiloride treats high blood pressure and heart failure. It helps restore normal potassium levels if you develop low potassium while taking other water pills. It can also prevent low potassium if you are at risk, such as if you take digoxin or have heart rhythm problems. Amiloride is not usually prescribed alone.

hydrochlorothiazide/triamterene

This medicine is used to treat high blood pressure. High blood pressure can lead to serious problems like stroke and heart attack if it is not treated. Lowering your blood pressure can help prevent these problems. You may need more than one medicine to control your blood pressure.

How It Works
amiloride

Amiloride blocks sodium channels in your kidneys. This action reduces the amount of potassium lost in your urine. This helps to maintain or increase potassium levels in your body.

hydrochlorothiazide/triamterene

Lisinopril is an ACE inhibitor that widens blood vessels. Hydrochlorothiazide is a diuretic that helps your body get rid of extra salt and water. This combination helps to lower blood pressure.

Common Side Effects
amiloride
  • Headache
  • Nausea
  • Loss of appetite
  • Diarrhea
  • Vomiting
hydrochlorothiazide/triamterene
  • Dizziness
  • Headache
  • Cough
  • Feeling tired
  • Lightheadedness when standing up
FAERS Reports
amiloride
  • Dyspnoea 69
  • Diarrhoea 57
  • Nausea 49
  • Vomiting 39
  • Fatigue 37
hydrochlorothiazide/triamterene
  • Feeling tired 10,013
  • Feeling sick to your stomach 9,706
  • Loose stools 8,311
  • General pain 7,665
  • Difficulty breathing 7,584
Serious Warnings
amiloride

Amiloride can cause high potassium levels, which can be dangerous. You should not take this medicine if you already have high potassium, kidney problems, or are taking other potassium-sparing diuretics or potassium supplements. Your doctor should check your potassium levels regularly.

hydrochlorothiazide/triamterene

This medicine can harm your unborn baby. If you become pregnant, stop taking this medicine and tell your doctor right away. You should not take this medicine if you have ever had a severe allergic reaction (angioedema) to an ACE inhibitor or if you cannot urinate.

Pregnancy
amiloride

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding. It is not known if amiloride can harm an unborn baby or pass into breast milk.

hydrochlorothiazide/triamterene

This medicine can cause harm or death to an unborn baby. Do not take this medicine if you are pregnant. Talk to your doctor about other blood pressure medicines if you are breastfeeding.

How to Read This amiloride vs hydrochlorothiazide/triamterene Comparison

amiloride is classified in the Potassium-Sparing Diuretic drug class, while hydrochlorothiazide/triamterene sits within the Thiazide / Potassium-Sparing Diuretic Combination class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. Both drugs are prescription-only, so a licensed provider must authorize use.

Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, amiloride has 251 submissions while hydrochlorothiazide/triamterene has 43,279. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume, not per-patient risk, so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. These two drugs have a known minor interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to both medications prevent the body from releasing potassium into the urine. taking them together increases the risk of having too much potassium in your blood.. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.

A table cannot represent individual circumstances. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This registry does not provide medical, treatment, substitution, or medication-change directions for amiloride or hydrochlorothiazide/triamterene.

Registry boundary: This comparison displays source-record fields and does not provide individualized medical direction.