Benicar is the brand name for the medication olmesartan medoxomil, a type of angiotensin II receptor antagonist. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved this drug for treating high blood pressure, and doctors also may prescribe it for other health disorders. Manufactured by Sankyo Pharma, Inc., Benicar will not be available in a generic version until at least 2016, when its patent expires. The drug has specific actions in the body which may provide benefits for several different conditions.
Improving Blood Flow
The hormone angiotensin II interacts with a receptor on arterial blood vessels, causing these vessels to constrict and become more narrow, as explained by the Mayo Clinic. Benicar, like other angiotensin II receptor antagonists, blocks the effect of this hormone, helping to improve blood flow and lower blood pressure. This puts less strain on the heart.
Drug Combination Safety
Sometimes a patient needs more than one medication to effectively reduce blood pressure. Benicar is safe to take with other blood pressure medicines as prescribed by a physician, according to HealthSquare. Patients can safely take Benicar with diuretics, for instance. Diuretics reduce excess fluid in the body, a condition known as edema that is associated with high blood pressure. Additionally, Benicar is available in combination with the diuretic hydrochlorothiazide, a brand called Benicar HCT.
Marshall Protocol
Doctors can prescribe legal drugs for purposes other than those that are FDA-approved. Benicar is part of an alternative treatment known as the Marshall Protocol, originally developed for treating sarcoidosis. Sarcoidosis involves inflammation and swelling in various organs and tissues. Benicar appears to decrease inflammation, making it potentially useful for treating other inflammatory disorders including Lyme disease, fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. Additionally, according to the Marshall Protocol, Benicar activates the innate immune response, the body's first line of defense against pathogens. This response becomes disabled when people develop chronic disease, in Marshall Protocol theory.
