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Captopril
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About captopril
| Type of medicine | ACE inhibitor (Angiotensin Converting Enzyme inhibitor). |
| Used for | Hypertension Heart failure To help prevent problems after a heart attack Circulation problems associated with diabetes |
| Also called | Acepril®, Capoten®, Ecopace® |
| Available as | Tablets |
Captopril works by causing blood vessels to relax, lowering blood pressure and increasing the supply of blood and oxygen to the heart.
Before taking captopril
Before taking captopril make sure your doctor or pharmacist knows:
- If you are pregnant, trying for a baby or breast-feeding.
- If you have ever had an allergic reaction to this or any other medicine.
- If you suffer from kidney or liver disease.
- If you suffer from a collagen vascular disease, such as rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus or scleroderma.
- If you are on a salt restricted diet or use salt substitutes which contain potassium.
- If you have cardiomyopathy (cardiac muscle disease), poor circulation, or aortic stenosis (narrowing of the blood vessel from the heart).
- If you have atherosclerosis (the build up of fatty deposits on the walls of arteries).
- If you are having dialysis, LDL apheresis (the removal of cholesterol from the blood by a machine) or desensitisation treatment for bee and wasp stings.
- If you are taking other medicines, including those available to buy without a prescription, herbal or complementary medicines.
How to take captopril
- Before beginning treatment, read the manufacturer's printed information leaflet.
- Take captopril exactly as your doctor has told you to.
- Try to take captopril at the same time each day to avoid missing any doses. It can be taken before, during or after meals.
- If you forget to take a dose, take one as soon as you remember unless it is nearly time for your next dose. Do not take two doses at the same time to make up.
- Your doctor may advise you take your very first dose of captopril shortly before retiring to bed to reduce any light-headedness or dizziness that you may experience the first time you take captopril.
Getting the most from your treatment
- If you are having any treatment like an operation or dental treatment, tell the person carrying out the treatment which medicines you are taking.
- Keep your regular doctor's appointment so your progress can be monitored.
- Treatment with captopril is usually life-long. Do not stop taking this medicine without speaking to your doctor first.
- Captopril may make your skin more sensitive to sunlight. Avoid sunbeds and use a suncream with a SPF factor of 15 until you know how your skin reacts.
- If you buy any medicines, check with a pharmacist that they are safe to take with captopril.
Can captopril cause problems?
Along with their useful effects all medicines can cause unwanted side effects, which usually improve as your body adjusts to the new medicine. Speak with your doctor or pharmacist if any of the following side effects continue or become troublesome.
| Common side-effects - these affect less than 1 in 10 people who take this medicine | What can I do if I experience this |
| Light-headedness or dizziness when getting up from a sitting or lying position especially the first time you take it | Getting up slowly should help. If you begin to feel dizzy, lie down so that you do not faint, then sit for a few moments before standing. If this continues, speak with your doctor |
| Headache | Ask your pharmacist to recommend a suitable pain-killer. If the headache continues, speak with your doctor |
| Feeling or being sick, stomach pain, diarrhoea | Eat little and often and drink plenty of water to replace any lost fluids |
| Constipation | Try to eat a well balanced diet containing plenty of fibre and drink 6-8 glasses of water each day |
| Dry cough | Speak with your doctor if this is troublesome |
| Tiredness, vision disturbances | Make sure your reactions are normal before driving, operating machinery or doing other jobs which could be dangerous if you were not fully alert or able to see clearly |
| Vertigo, weakness, pins and needles, a ringing sensation in the ears, muscle cramps, skin rash, itching, changes in taste, sinusitis, a blocked or runny nose, difficulty sleeping, dry mouth, weight loss and sore throat | Speak with your doctor if any of these are troublesome |
If you experience any other symptoms which you think may be due to this medicine, speak with your doctor or pharmacist.
How to store captopril
- Keep all medicines out of the reach of children.
- Store in a cool, dry place, away from direct heat and light.
Important information about all medicines
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References
- Manufacturer's PIL, Capoten Tablets®, E. R. Squibb & Sons Limited, electronic Medicines Compendium. Revised June 2005, accessed 21 August 2008.
- British National Formulary; 55th Edition (March 2008) British Medical Association and Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain, London.
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