Amlodipine and Benazepril (Systemic)
Brand Names : Lotrel
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 amlodipine and benazepril
combination, the following should be considered:
Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or
allergic reaction to amlodipine or benazepril, as well as to any other ACE
inhibitor (captopril, enalapril, 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. 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 - Benazepril passes into breast milk. 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 amlodipine
and benazepril combination in children with use in other age groups.
Older adults - This medicine has been tested in patients 65 years
of age or older and has not been shown to cause different side effects or
problems in older people than it does in younger adults. However, blood levels
of amlodipine may be increased in the elderly and elderly people may be more
sensitive to the effects of this medicine.
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:
-
Diuretics (water pills) - Effects on blood pressure may be increased
-
Potassium-containing medicines or 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 or blood vessel disease - Lowering blood pressure may make
problems resulting from these conditions worse
-
Kidney disease or
-
Liver disease - Effects may be increased because of slower removal
of this medicine from the body
-
Scleroderma or
-
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) (or history of) - Increased
risk of blood problems caused by ACE inhibitors
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