Quinapril prescription

Quinapril

Generic Name: quinapril (KWIH na pril)
Brand Names: Accupril

What is the most important information I should know about quinapril?

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Do not use this medication without your doctor's consent if you are pregnant. It could cause harm to the unborn baby. Use an effective form of birth control, and tell your doctor if you become pregnant during treatment.

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Quinapril may increase the risk of dangerous allergic reactions. Before taking quinapril, tell your doctor if you have ever had an allergic reaction that involved swelling of the lips, face, tongue, or throat or difficulty breathing. Seek emergency medical attention if you develop any of these symptoms while taking quinapril.

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Quinapril can cause side effects that may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be awake and alert.

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You may get dehydrated more easily while taking this medication. Heavy sweating, vomiting, and diarrhea can cause fluid loss and may lead to very low blood pressure, dizziness, and fainting. Drink plenty of fluids to stay properly hydrated while you are taking qunapril.

What is quinapril?

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Quinapril is in a group of drugs called angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitors (ACE inhibitors).

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Quinapril is used to treat hypertension (high blood pressure) and congestive heart failure.

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Quinapril may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide.

What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking quinapril?

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Quinapril may increase the risk of dangerous allergic reactions. Before taking quinapril, tell your doctor if you have ever had an allergic reaction that involved swelling of your lips, face, tongue, or throat or difficulty breathing. Seek emergency medical attention if you develop any of these symptoms while taking quinapril.

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Before taking quinapril, tell your doctor if you have:

kidney disease;

liver disease;

diabetes;

if you are on a salt-restricted diet or have high levels of potassium in your blood; or

if you are using salt substitutes, potassium supplements, or potassium-sparing diuretics such as amiloride (Midamor), triamterene (Dyrenium, Dyazide, Maxzide), or spironolactone (Aldactone).

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If you have any of these conditions, you may not be able to use quinapril, or you may need a dosage adjustment or special tests during treatment.

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FDA pregnancy category D. This medication can cause harm to an unborn baby. Do not use quinapril without your doctor's consent if you are pregnant. Tell your doctor if you become pregnant during treatment. Use an effective form of birth control while you are using this medication.

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Quinapril can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

How should I take quinapril?

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Take this medication exactly as it was prescribed for you. Do not take the medication in larger amounts, or take it for longer than recommended by your doctor.

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Take each dose with a full glass of water.

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You may take quinapril with or without food.

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It is important to use quinapril regularly to get the most benefit. Get your prescription refilled before you run out of medicine completely.

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Do not stop taking quinapril without first talking to your doctor. If you stop taking this medication suddenly, your condition could become worse. You may need to use less and less before you stop the medication completely.

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To be sure this medication is helping your condition, your doctor will need to check your progress on a regular basis. Your blood pressure will also need to be checked. It is important that you not miss any scheduled visits to your doctor.

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If you are being treated for high blood pressure, keep using this medication even if you feel fine. High blood pressure often has no symptoms.

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Store quinapril at room temperature away from moisture and heat.

What happens if I miss a dose?

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Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take the medicine at the next regularly scheduled time. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

What happens if I overdose?

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Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine. Symptoms of a quinapril overdose may include extreme dizziness, weakness, or fainting.

What should I avoid while taking quinapril?

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Quinapril can cause side effects that may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be awake and alert.

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Avoid drinking alcohol, which can further lower blood pressure and increase some of the side effects of quinapril.

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Do not use salt substitutes or potassium supplements while taking quinapril unless your doctor has told you to.

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What are the possible side effects of quinapril?

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Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

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Call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

urinating less than usual or not at all;

fast, slow, or uneven heartbeats;

chest pain;

severe dizziness or fainting; or

fever, chills, body aches, flu symptoms.

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Other, less serious side effects may be more likely to occur, such as:

mild dizziness;

tired feeling;

dry, tickling cough;

headache;

muscle pain or cramps;

rash;

anxiety or depression;

numbness or tingling in the hands, feet, arms, or legs; or

nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.

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Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Talk to your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome.

What other drugs will affect quinapril?

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Before taking quinapril, tell your doctor if you are taking any of the following drugs:

a potassium supplement such as K-Dur, Klor-Con, and others;

salt substitutes that contain potassium;

lithium (Lithobid, Eskalith, others);

tetracycline (Achromycin, Sumycin); or

a diuretic (water pill) such as amiloride (Midamor), bumetanide (Bumex), chlorthalidone (Hygroton, Thalitone), ethacrynic acid (Edecrin), furosemide (Lasix), hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ, HydroDiuril), indapamide (Lozol), metolazone (Mykrox, Zarxolyn), spironolactone (Aldactone), triamterene (Dyrenium, Maxzide, Dyazide), torsemide (Demadex), and others.

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If you are using any of these drugs, you may not be able to use quinapril, or you may need dosage adjustments or special tests during treatment.

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There may be other drugs not listed that can affect quinapril. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.

Where can I get more information?

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Your pharmacist has additional information about quinapril written for health professionals that you may read.

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Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children. Never share your medicines with others and use this medication only for the condition prescribed.

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Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/ or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

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