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Captopril

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WARNING

If you are trying to get pregnant or are already pregnant, avoid taking captopril. While taking captopril, call your doctor right away if you become pregnant. The foetus could be harmed by captopril.

Why is this medication prescribed?

Heart failure and excessive blood pressure are treated with captopril alone or in conjunction with other drugs. Moreover, it is used to prolong life and lower the chance of heart failure in people who have the cardiac ailment left ventricular hypertrophy following a heart attack (enlargement of the walls of the left side of the heart). In addition, captopril is employed to treat retinopathy and nephropathy in people with type 1 diabetes (eye disease). Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors are a group of drugs that includes captopril. The blood flows more freely and the heart can pump blood more effectively as a result of the decrease in specific substances that restrict blood vessels.

High blood pressure is a common illness that, if left untreated, can harm the kidneys, brain, heart, blood vessels, and other organs. Heart disease, a heart attack, heart failure, a stroke, renal failure, eyesight loss, and other issues may result from damage to these organs. Making lifestyle modifications will help you control your blood pressure in addition to taking medication. These adjustments include quitting smoking, drinking alcohol in moderation, eating a diet low in fat and salt, keeping a healthy weight, and exercising for at least 30 minutes most days.

How should this medicine be used?

Captopril is available as an oral tablet. It is often taken twice or three times a day, one hour before meals, on an empty stomach. Use captopril at roughly the same time(s) every day to make it easier for you to remember to take it. Ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any instructions on your prescription label that you are unsure about following. Follow the captopril directions exactly. Never take it in larger or less amounts or more frequently than directed by your doctor.

Heart failure and excessive blood pressure are controlled but not cured by captopril. Even if you feel good, keep taking captopril. Without consulting your doctor, do not discontinue taking captopril.

Other uses for this medicine

Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more details if you’re interested in using this drug for any other conditions.

What special precautions should I follow?

Before taking captopril,

  • If you have an allergy to captopril or any other ACE inhibitor, including enalapril (Vasotec, in Vaseretic), benazepril (Lotensin, in Lotrel), captopril (Capoten), fosinopril (Monopril), or lisinopril, inform your doctor and pharmacist right once (in Prinzide, in Zestoretic), quinapril (Accupril, in Accuretic, in Quinaretic), moexipril (Univasc, in Uniretic), perindopril (Aceon), trandolapril (Mavik, in Tarka), or any other drugs, or any of the components in captopril tablets. Get an ingredient list from your pharmacist.
  • If you are currently using valsartan and sacubitril (Entresto), or if you have just stopped taking it, let your doctor or pharmacist know. If you also take valsartan and sacubitril, your doctor generally won’t let you take captopril. Moreover, let your physician know if you have diabetes and are on aliskiren (Tekturna, in Amturnide, Tekamlo, Tekturna HCT). If you have diabetes and are also on aliskiren, your doctor generally won’t let you take captopril.
  • Inform your physician and pharmacist about all prescription and over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, dietary supplements, and herbal products you are taking. Incorporate any of the following: Aspirin and other NSAIDs like indomethacin (Indocin, Tivorbex), diuretics (‘water pills’), lithium (Lithobid), nitrates like isosorbide dinitrate (Isordil, in Bidil), isosorbide mononitrate (Monoket), and nitroglycerin (Nitro-Dur, Nitrostat, and others), other blood pressure medications, or potassium supplements.
  • If you have diabetes, heart disease, or kidney illness, let your doctor know.
  • If you are breastfeeding, let your doctor know.
  • Inform your doctor or dentist that you are taking captopril if you are having surgery, including dental surgery.
  • You should be aware that a reduction in blood pressure might result from diarrhoea, vomiting, dehydration, and excessive perspiration, which can make you feel faint and dizzy.

What special dietary instructions should I follow?

Before using potassium-containing salt replacements, consult your doctor. If your doctor advises a low-salt or low-sodium diet, pay close attention to the directions.

What should I do if I forget a dose?

If you miss a dosage, take it as soon as you recall. If the next dose is soon due, skip the missed one and carry on with your regular dosing plan. To make up for a missing dose, do not take a second one.

What side effects can this medication cause?

Side effects are possible with captopril. If any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away, let your doctor know right once:

  • Feeling unsteady or lightheaded
  • Metallic or salty flavour, or a diminished sense of taste
  • Cough
  • Rapid heart rate
  • Extreme fatigue

Certain adverse effects can be very harmful. Call your doctor right away if any of these symptoms occur to you:

  • Chest ache
  • Swelling of the arms, legs, tongue, lips, mouth, face, or body
  • Hives
  • Hoarseness
  • Breathing or swallowing challenges
  • Abdominal pain
  • Fainting
  • Rash
  • Itching
  • Oral sores
  • Infection symptoms such a fever, sore throat, chills, and others

You or your doctor can submit a report to the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting programme online or by phone if you have a serious side event (1-800-332-1088).

What should I know about storage and disposal of this medication?

Keep this medication tightly closed in the original container and out of the reach of children. Keep it away from excessive heat and moisture at room temperature (not in the bathroom).

Unused prescriptions must be disposed of carefully to prevent pets, kids, and other people from ingesting them. You should not, however, dispose of this medication in the toilet. Instead, utilising a medicine take-back programme is the easiest approach to get rid of your medication. To find out about take-back programmes in your area, speak with your pharmacist or the garbage/recycling department in your city. If you do not have access to a take-back programme, see the FDA’s Safe Disposal of Medications website at http://goo.gl/c4Rm4p for additional information.

Although many containers (such as weekly pill minders and those for eye drops, creams, patches, and inhalers) are not child-resistant and are simple for young children to open, it is crucial to keep all medications out of sight and out of reach of children. Always lock safety caps and promptly stash medication up and away from young children where it is out of their sight and reach to prevent poisoning. http://www.upandaway.org

In case of emergency/overdose

Call the poison control hotline at 1-800-222-1222 in the event of an overdose. Moreover, information can be found online at https://www.poisonhelp.org/help. Call 911 right once if the person has collapsed, experienced a seizure, is having difficulty breathing, or cannot be roused.

What other information should I know?

Keep all of your appointments with your physician and the lab. Regular blood pressure checks are necessary to monitor how captopril affects you.

Tablets of captopril could smell faintly like sulphur (like rotten eggs).

No one else should take your medication. Any queries you may have regarding medication refills should be directed to your pharmacist.

You should keep a written record of every medication you take, including any over-the-counter (OTC) items, prescription drugs, and dietary supplements like vitamins and minerals. This list should be brought with you whenever you see a doctor or are admitted to the hospital. You should always have this information with you in case of emergencies.

Brand names

  • Capoten®
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