Medications and Drugs

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Brand Names: Vasotec

Generic Name: enalapril (Pronunciation: e NAL a pril)

• What is enalapril (Vasotec)?
• What are the possible side effects of enalapril (Vasotec)?
• What is the most important information I should know about enalapril (Vasotec)?
• What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking enalapril (Vasotec)?
• How should I take enalapril (Vasotec)?
• What happens if I miss a dose (Vasotec)?
• What happens if I overdose (Vasotec)?
• What should I avoid while taking enalapril (Vasotec)?
• What other drugs will affect enalapril (Vasotec)?
• Where can I get more information?

What is enalapril (Vasotec)?

Enalapril is in a group of drugs called ACE inhibitors. ACE stands for angiotensin converting enzyme.

Enalapril is used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension), congestive heart failure, kidney problems caused by diabetes, and to improve survival after a heart attack.

Enalapril may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.

Enalapril 10 mg-APO

round, red, imprinted with APO 051

Enalapril 10 mg-EON

round, pink, imprinted with E 147

Enalapril 10 mg-GEN

round, pink, imprinted with GG 483

Enalapril 10 mg-MYL

round, blue, imprinted with M E17

Enalapril 10 mg-SAN

round, pink, imprinted with ELP 10

Enalapril 10 mg-SCH

round, pink, imprinted with SCHN, 2727

Enalapril 10 mg-TAR

round, pink, imprinted with T 10

Enalapril 10 mg-TEV

oval, pink, imprinted with 93 28

Enalapril 10 mg-WAT

round, pink/white specks, imprinted with WATSON 670

Enalapril 2.5 mg-APO

round, yellow, imprinted with APO 049

Enalapril 2.5 mg-EON

round, yellow, imprinted with E 114

Enalapril 2.5 mg-MYL

round, white, imprinted with M E15

Enalapril 2.5 mg-PAR

round, white, imprinted with EN 25, G

Enalapril 2.5 mg-SAN

round, yellow, imprinted with ELP 2 1/2

Enalapril 2.5 mg-SCH

round, white, imprinted with SCHN, 26 98

Enalapril 2.5 mg-TAR

round, yellow, imprinted with T 2

Enalapril 2.5 mg-TEV

oval, yellow, imprinted with 93 26

Enalapril 2.5 mg-WAT

round, white, imprinted with WATSON 668

Enalapril 20 mg-APO

rectangular, orange, imprinted with APO 052

Enalapril 20 mg-EON

round, pink, imprinted with E 214

Enalapril 20 mg-MYL

round, blue, imprinted with M E18

Enalapril 20 mg-PAR

oval, peach, imprinted with G, EN 20

Enalapril 20 mg-SAN

round, gray, imprinted with ELP 20

Enalapril 20 mg-SCH

round, pink, imprinted with SCHN, 2734

Enalapril 20 mg-TAR

round, peach, imprinted with T 20

Enalapril 20 mg-TEV

oval, peach, imprinted with 93 29

Enalapril 20 mg-WAT

round, peach/white specks, imprinted with WATSON 671

Enalapril 5 mg-APO

round, white, imprinted with APO 050

Enalapril 5 mg-EON

round, white, imprinted with E 127

Enalapril 5 mg-GEN

round, white, imprinted with GG 482

Enalapril 5 mg-MYL

round, white, imprinted with M E16

Enalapril 5 mg-SAN

round, pink, imprinted with ELP 5

Enalapril 5 mg-SCH

round, white, imprinted with SCHN, 27 01

Enalapril 5 mg-TAR

round, yellow, imprinted with T 5

Enalapril 5 mg-TEV

oval, white, imprinted with 93 27

Enalapril 5 mg-WAT

round, white, imprinted with WATSON 669

Vasotec 10 mg

shield, pink, imprinted with VASOTEC, MSD 713

Vasotec 2.5 mg

shield, yellow, imprinted with VASOTEC, MSD 14

Vasotec 20 mg

shield, beige, imprinted with VASOTEC, MSD 714

Vasotec 5 mg

shield, white, imprinted with VASOTEC, MSD 712

What are the possible side effects of enalapril (Vasotec)?

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

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

• feeling light-headed, fainting;
• urinating more or less than usual, or not at all;
• fever, chills, body aches, flu symptoms;
• pale skin, easy bruising or bleeding;
• fast, pounding, or uneven heartbeats;
• chest pain; or
• swelling, rapid weight gain.

Less serious side effects may include:

• cough;
• loss of taste sensation, loss of appetite;
• dizziness, drowsiness, headache;
• sleep problems (insomnia);
• dry mouth;
• nausea, vomiting, diarrhea; or
• mild skin itching or rash.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

What is the most important information I should know about enalapril (Vasotec)?

Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy. Enalapril could cause birth defects in the baby if you take the medication during pregnancy. Use an effective form of birth control. Stop using this medication and tell your doctor right away if you become pregnant during treatment.

Vomiting, diarrhea, or heavy sweating can cause you to become dehydrated. This can lead to very low blood pressure, electrolyte disorders, or kidney failure while you are taking enalapril. Drink plenty of water each day while you are taking this medication.

What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking enalapril (Vasotec)?

Do not use this medication if you are allergic to enalapril or to any other ACE inhibitor, such as benazepril (Lotensin), captopril (Capoten), fosinopril (Monopril), lisinopril (Prinivil, Zestril), moexipril (Univasc), perindopril (Aceon), quinapril (Accupril), ramipril (Altace), or trandolapril (Mavik).

If you have certain conditions, you may need a dose adjustment or special tests to safely take this medication. Before you take enalapril, tell your doctor if you have:

• kidney disease (or if you are on dialysis);
• liver disease;
• heart disease or congestive heart failure;
• diabetes; or
• a connective tissue disease such as Marfan syndrome, Sjogren's syndrome, lupus, scleroderma, or rheumatoid arthritis.

FDA pregnancy category D. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy. Enalapril could cause birth defects in the baby if you take the medication during pregnancy. Use an effective form of birth control. Stop using this medication and tell your doctor right away if you become pregnant during treatment.

Enalapril 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 enalapril (Vasotec)?

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. Follow the directions on your prescription label.

Your doctor may occasionally change your dose to make sure you get the best results from this medication.

Take each dose with a full glass of water.

Enalapril can be taken with or without food.

Vomiting, diarrhea, or heavy sweating can cause you to become dehydrated. This can lead to very low blood pressure, electrolyte disorders, or kidney failure while you are taking enalapril. Drink plenty of water each while you are taking this medication.

To be sure this medication is helping your condition, your blood pressure will need to be checked on a regular basis. Your kidney or liver function may also need to be tested. Do not miss any scheduled visits to your doctor.

If you need to have any type of surgery, tell the surgeon ahead of time that you are taking enalapril. You may need to stop using the medicine for a short time.

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.

Store enalapril at room temperature away from moisture and heat.

What happens if I miss a dose (Vasotec)?

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 (Vasotec)?

Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine.

Overdose symptoms may include feeling extremely dizzy or light-headed, or fainting.

What should I avoid while taking enalapril (Vasotec)?

Avoid drinking alcohol. It can further lower your blood pressure and may increase some of the side effects of enalapril.

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

What other drugs will affect enalapril (Vasotec)?

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

• gold injections to treat arthritis;
• lithium (Lithobid, Eskalith);
• a potassium supplement such as K-Dur, Klor-Con;
• salt substitutes that contain potassium;
• aspirin or other NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) such as ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil), diclofenac (Voltaren), etodolac (Lodine), indomethacin (Indocin), ketoprofen (Orudis), naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn), and others; or
• a diuretic (water pill).

This list is not complete and there may be other drugs that can interact with enalapril. Tell your doctor about all your prescription and over-the-counter medications, vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start a new medication without telling your doctor.

Where can I get more information?

Your pharmacist can provide more information about enalapril.

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

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