Accupril

Common use

Accupril (quinapril) is used in adults alone or in combination with other medications to treat high blood pressure (hypertension). Lowering blood pressure may lower your risk of a stroke or heart attack. Accupril is also used in adults together with other medications to treat heart failure. Accupril belongs to a class of medications called angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors.

Dosage and direction

Take Accupril exactly as prescribed by your doctor. If you have high blood pressure, keep using Accupril even if you feel well. Usual Adult Dose for Hypertension: Initial dose: 10 or 20 mg orally once a day in patients not on diuretics; Maintenance dose: 20 to 80 mg orally per day, administered as a single dose or in two equally divided doses.

Precautions

To make sure Accupril is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have ever had: a connective tissue disease such as Marfan syndrome, Sjogren's syndrome, lupus, scleroderma, or rheumatoid arthritis; heart problems; low blood pressure; high blood levels of potassium (hyperkalemia); if you are on a low-salt diet; low white blood cell counts; diabetes; kidney disease (or if you are on dialysis); or liver disease.

Contraindications

Do not use Accupril if you are pregnant. If you become pregnant, stop taking this medicine and tell your doctor right away.
You should not use Accuprilif you have ever had angioedema. Do not take Accupril within 36 hours before or after taking medicine that contains sacubitril(such as Entresto).
If you have diabetes, do not use Accupril together with any medication that contains aliskiren, a blood pressure medicine (brand names include Tekturna and Tekamlo).
You should not use Accupril if you are allergic to quinapril, or if you are allergic to any other ACE inhibitor, such as benazepril, captopril, enalapril, fosinopril, lisinopril, moexipril, perindopril, ramipril, or trandolapril.

Possible side effect

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction to Accupril: hives, difficult breathing, swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Accupril may cause serious side effects. Call your doctor at once if you have: chest pain, fast, slow, or uneven heart rate; a light-headed feeling, like you might pass out; heart problems - swelling, rapid weight gain, feeling short of breath; kidney problems - swelling, urinating less, feeling tired or short of breath; liver problems - loss of appetite, stomach pain (upper right side), tiredness, itching, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes), abnormal liver function tests; signs of infection - fever, chills, sore throat, body aches, unusual tiredness, loss of appetite, bruising or bleeding; or high blood potassium - nausea, weakness, tingly feeling, chest pain, irregular heartbeats, loss of movement.
Common Accupril side effects may include: headache; nausea, vomiting, stomach pain; cough; or dizziness, tiredness.

Drug interaction

Tell your doctor about all your other medicines, especially: lithium; a diuretic or "water pill"; gold injections to treat arthritis; temsirolimus, sirolimus, or everolimus; or NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) - aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), naproxen (Aleve), celecoxib, diclofenac, indomethacin, meloxicam, and others.

Missed dose

Take the medicine as soon as you can, but skip the missed dose if it is almost time for your next dose. Do not take two doses at one time.

Overdose

Seek emergency medical attention.

Storage

Store tightly closed at room temperature, away from moisture and heat. Keep away from children.