Enalapril and Felodipine (Systemic)
Brand Names : Lexxel
Before Using This MedicineIn deciding to use a medicine,
the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will
do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For enalapril and felodipine
combination, the following should be considered:
Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or
allergic reaction to enalapril or felodipine, as well as to any other ACE
inhibitor (benazepril, captopril, fosinopril, lisinopril, moexipril, 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 - Studies with this combination medicine have not been
done in pregnant women. However, use of any of the ACE inhibitors during pregnancy,
especially in the second and third trimesters (after the first 3 months),
can cause low blood pressure, kidney failure, an underdeveloped skull, or
even death in newborns. Felodipine can cause birth defects and problems with
labor and delivery. Therefore, it is important that you
check with your doctor immediately if you think that you may be pregnant
.
Be sure that you have discussed this with your doctor before taking this combination
medicine.
Breast-feeding - Enalapril passes into breast milk. It is not known
if felodipine passes into breast milk; however, felodipine passes into the
milk of lactating rats. Use of this combination medicine is not recommended
in women who are breast-feeding.
Children - Studies on this medicine have been done only in adult
patients, and there is no specific information comparing use of enalapril
and felodipine in children with use in other age groups.
Older adults - Although this medicine has not been shown to cause
different side effects or problems in older people than it does in younger
adults, blood levels of the felodipine component may be increased in the elderly.
Racial differences - Black patients may be less sensitive to the blood pressure-lowering
effects of this medicine. In addition, the risk of a serious allergic reaction
involving swelling of the face, mouth, hands, or feet may be increased.
Other medicines - Although certain medicines should not be used
together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together
even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to
change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking
this medicine, it is especially important that your health care professional
know if you are taking any of the following:
-
Carbamazepine (e.g., Tegretol) or
-
Phenytoin (e.g., Dilantin) or
-
Phenobarbital - Effects of felodipine may be greatly decreased
-
Diuretics (water pills) - Effects on blood pressure may be increased
-
Potassium-containing supplements or
-
Salt substitutes that contain potassium - Use of these substances
with ACE inhibitors may result in an unusually high potassium level in the
blood, which can lead to irregular heart rhythm and other problems
Other medical problems - The presence of other medical
problems may affect the use of this medicine. Make sure you tell your doctor
if you have any other medical problems, especially:
-
Bee-sting allergy treatments or
-
Dialysis - Increased risk of serious allergic reaction occurring
-
Dehydration - Lowering effects on blood pressure may be increased
-
Diabetes mellitus (sugar diabetes) - Increased risk of potassium
levels in the body becoming too high
-
Heart attack or stroke or
-
Heart or blood vessel disease or
-
Hypotension (low blood pressure) - Further lowering of blood
pressure may make problems resulting from these conditions worse
-
Kidney disease or
-
Liver disease - Effects may be increased because of slower removal
from the body
-
Previous reaction to any ACE inhibitor involving hoarseness; swelling
of the face, mouth, hands, or feet; or sudden trouble in swallowing or breathing - Reaction
is more likely to occur again
-
Scleroderma or
-
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) (or history of) - Increased
risk of blood problems caused by ACE inhibitors
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