Enalapril

Enalapril is a prescription medication used to treat high blood pressure and heart failure. Enalapril belongs to a group of drugs called angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors. It works to lower blood pressure by causing blood vessels to relax. 

This medication comes in tablet form. It is taken once or twice daily, with or without food.

Common side effects of enalapril include a skin rash, cough, and weakness.

Enalapril can cause dizziness. Do not drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how enalapril affects you.

Enalapril is a prescription medication used to treat high blood pressure, heart failure, and a heart condition called left ventricular dysfunction. 

This medication may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Enalapril may be found in some form under the following brand names:

• Epaned

• Vasotec

Serious side effects have been reported with enalapril. See “Drug Precautions” section.

Common side effects of enalapril include:

• skin rash
• cough
• dizziness
• weakness
• low blood pressure (hypotension)
• fatigue
• high potassium levels

This is not a complete list of enalapril side effects. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

Especially tell your doctor if you take:

• diuretics, or "water pills"
• spironolactone (Aldactone)
• non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as aspirin (Ecotrin) and ibuprofen (Advil)
• methyldopa
• nitrates, such as nitroglycerin, isosorbide dinitrate, and isosorbide mononitrate
• calcium channel blocking drugs, such as amlodipine (Norvasc) and verapamil (Calan)
• hydralazine
• prazosin (Minipress)
• digoxin (Lanoxin)
• lithium
• potassium supplements
• injectable gold (sodium aurothiomalate)

This is not a complete list of enalapril drug interactions. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Serious side effects have been reported with enalapril including:

• Hypersensitivity reaction: An allergic reaction to enalapril can occur. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you experience some or all of the following symptoms of a hypersensitivity reaction:
  • difficulty breathing or swallowing
  • hoarseness
  • swelling
• Swelling of the head, neck, and intestines: Tell your healthcare provider right away if you experience some or all of the following symptoms:
  • swelling of the face, tongue, neck, or limbs
  • abdominal pain with or without nausea and vomiting
• Enalapril can lead to extreme low blood pressure. Symptoms include:
  • dizziness
  • lightheadedness
  • fainting
• Enalapril can lead to a decrease in the number of white blood cells needed to prevent infection. Tell your doctor if you have symptoms of infection including:
  • sore throat
  • fever
• Liver failure: Tell your doctor if you have a history of liver disease.
• Pregnant women should not take enalapril. Enalapril can harm the developing child.
• Impaired kidney function: Tell your doctor if you have a history of kidney disease.

Enalapril can cause dizziness. Do not drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how enalapril affects you.

Do not take enalapril if you:

• are allergic to enalapril
• have a history of angioedema (swelling) when exposed to other angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, such as lisinopril (Zestril and Prinivil) and captopril
• have ever experienced angioedema (swelling under the skin similar to hives)

Medicines can interact with certain foods. In some cases, this may be harmful and your doctor may advise you to avoid certain foods. In the case of enalapril, there are no specific foods that you must exclude from your diet when receiving enalapril.

Do not to use salt substitutes containing potassium without consulting your doctor.

Before taking enalapril, tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions. Especially tell your doctor if you:

• have a history of liver, heart, or kidney disease
• are allergic to enalapril or other ACE inhibitors, such as lisinopril (Zestril and Prinivil) and captopril
• have recently had or will undergo a surgical procedure
• have a history of diabetes
• have ever experienced angioedema (swelling under the skin similar to hives)
• are pregnant or breastfeeding

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.
 

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

The FDA categorizes medications based on safety for use during pregnancy. Five categories - A, B, C, D, and X, are used to classify the possible risks to an unborn baby when a medication is taken during pregnancy.

Enalapril falls into category D. There is evidence of risk to the unborn baby based on studies in humans or adverse reaction data, but this medication may be given to a pregnant woman only if her healthcare provider believes that its benefits to the pregnant woman outweigh any possible risks to her unborn baby.

If you become pregnant while taking enalapril, stop taking it and tell your doctor right away.

Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed.

You should not take enalapril if you are breastfeeding. It may be excreted in your breast milk and may harm your nursing child.
 

Take enalapril exactly as prescribed.

This medication comes in tablet form and is taken 1 to 2 times a day, with or without food.

If you miss a dose, take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and take your next dose at the regular time. Do not take two doses of enalapril at the same time.

Take enalapril exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully.

Your doctor will prescribe the appropriate dosage of enalpril depending on the severity of your high blood pressure, your kidney function, what other medications you take, and your response to enalapril.

The dosages range from 2.5 to 40 mg each day.  Your doctor will start you on a low dose of enalapril, and slowly increase your dose depending on your response.

If you take too much enalapril, call your healthcare provider or local Poison Control Center, or seek emergency medical attention right away.

Store enalapril at room temperature.

Keep this and all medicines out of the reach of children.

 

USE IN PREGNANCY:

When used in pregnancy during the second and third trimesters, ACE inhibitors can cause injury and even death to the developing fetus. When pregnancy is detected, enalapril maleate tablets should be discontinued as soon as possible.