Angiotensin-converting Enzyme - ACE Inhibitors : Before Using

Angiotensin-converting Enzyme - ACE Inhibitors - Systemic

Angiotensin-converting Enzyme - ACE Inhibitors *** Before Using *** How to Use *** Fore Safe Use *** Side Effects *** Additional Information

Before Using

In deciding to using a medication, the chance of taking the drug must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you will make. For the angiotensin-converting enzyme - ACE inhibitors, the following must be considered

Allergic reaction

Tell your family doctor if you have any unusual or allergy to benazepril, captopril, cilazapril, enalapril, fosinopril, lisinopril, moexipril, perindopril, quinapril, ramipril, or trandolapril. Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Pregnancy care

Use of ACE inhibitors during pregnancy, especially in the second and third trimesters - after the first three months can cause low blood pressure, severe kidney failure, too much potassium, or even death in the newborn Therefore, it is important that you check with your family doctor immediately if you think that you may be pregnant . Be sure that you have discussed this with your family doctor before taking this drug. In addition, if you are taking:

Benazepril Benazepril has not been shown to cause birth defects in pets when given in doses more than 3 times the highest recommended human dose.
Captopril Studies in rabbits and rats at doses up to 400 times the recommended human dose have shown that captopril causes an increase in deaths of the fetus and newborn. Always captopril has causing deformed skulls in the offspring of rabbits given doses 2 to 70 times the recommended human dose.
Enalapril Studies in rats at doses many times the recommended human dose have shown that use of enalapril causes the fetus to be smaller than normal. Studies in rabbits have shown that enalapril causes an increase in fetal death. Enalapril has not been shown to cause birth defects in rats or rabbits.
Fosinopril Studies in rats have shown that fosinopril causes the fetus to be smaller than normal. Studies in rabbits have shown that fosinopril causes fetal death, probably due to extremely low blood pressure. In rats, birth defects such as skeletal and facial deformities were seen. However, it is not clear that the deformities were related to fosinopril. Birth defects were not seen in rabbits.
Lisinopril Studies in mice and rats at doses many times the recommended human dose have shown that use of lisinopril causes a decrease in successful pregnancies, a decrease in the weight of infants, and an increase in infant deaths. It has also causing a decrease in successful pregnancies and abnormal bone growth in rabbits. Lisinopril has not been shown to cause birth defects in mice, rats, or rabbits.
Moexipril Studies in rats given up to 90 times the recommended human dose and studies in rabbits given up to 0.7 times the recommended human dose, did not show that moexipril causes birth defects in pets.
Perindopril Studies in rabbits given up to 50 times the recommended human dose and monkeys given up to 17 times the recommended human dose, did not show that perindopril causes birth defects in pets.
Quinapril Studies in rats have shown that quinapril causes lower birth weights and changes in kidney structure of the fetus. However, birth defects were not seen in rabbits given quinapril.
Ramipril Studies in pets have shown that ramipril causes lower birth weights.
Trandolapril Studies in rabbits, rats and monkeys did not show that trandolapril causes any birth defects in pets.

Breast-feeding

Benazepril, captopril, enalapril enalaprilat, and fosinopril These medication pass into breast milk.
Cilazapril, lisinopril, moexipril, perindopril, quinapril, ramipril and trandolapril It is not known whether these medication pass into breast milk. However, these medication have not been reported to cause problems in nursing babies.

Use for Children

Children may be especially sensitive to the blood pressure-lowering effect of ACE inhibitors. This may increase the risk of side effects or other problems during treat. Therefore, it is especially important that you discuss with the child's family doctor the good that this drug may do as well as the chance of using it.

Elderly care

This drug has been tested in a limited number of diseaseds 65 years of age or older and has not been shown to cause various side effects or problems in elderly people than it does in adults people.

Drug interactions

Although certain medication must not be using together at all, in other cases two various medication may be using together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your family doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking or receiving ACE inhibitors it is especially important that your health care professional know if you are taking any of the following:

Alcohol
Diuretics - water pills Effects on blood pressure may be increased. In addition, some diuretics make the increase in potassium in the blood causing by ACE inhibitors even greater

Potassium-containing medication or supplements
Salt substitutes
Low-salt milk Use of these substances with ACE inhibitors may result in an unusually high potassium level in the blood, which can lead to heart rhythm and other problems

Other Information for using

The presence of other medical problems may effect the use of the ACE inhibitors. Make sure you tell your family doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

Diabetes mellitus - sugar diabetes Increased risk of potassium levels in the body becoming too high, or increased effect of insulin on control of blood sugar

Heart or blood vessel disease
Low sodium diet Lowering blood pressure may make problems resulting from these conditions worse

Kidney disease
Liver disease ACE inhibitors" effects may be increased because of slower removal of drug from the body

Kidney transplant Increased risk of kidney disease causing by ACE inhibitors

Systemic lupus erythematosus - SLE Increased risk of blood problems causing by ACE inhibitors

Previous reaction to any ACE inhibitor or previous occurrence involving hoarseness; swelling of face, mouth, hands, or feet; or sudden trouble in breathing Reaction is more likely to occur again