How Is It Used?
Take enalapril tablets by mouth. Follow
the directions on the prescription label. Swallow the tablets
with a drink of water. Take your doses at regular intervals.
Do not take your medicine more often than directed. Do not
stop taking enalapril except on your prescriber's advice.
Contact your pediatrician or health care professional
regarding the use of this medicine in children. Special care
may be needed.
What should my health
care professional know before I take Enalapril?
They need to know if you have any of these
conditions:
- Autoimmune disease (such as lupus), or suppressed
immune function
-
Previous swelling of the
tongue, face, or lips with difficulty breathing, difficulty
swallowing, hoarseness, or tightening of the throat (angioedema)
- Bone marrow disease
- Heart or blood vessel disease
- Liver disease
- Low blood pressure
- Kidney disease
- If you are on a special diet, such as a low-salt
diet
- An unusual or allergic reaction to enalapril,
other ACE inhibitors, foods, dyes, or preservatives
- Pregnant or trying to get pregnant
- Breast-Feeding
Are There Possible
Side Effects?
Side effects that you should report to your prescriber or
health care professional as soon as possible:
- Decreased amount of urine passed
- Difficulty breathing, or difficulty swallowing
- Dizziness, lightheadedness or fainting spells
- Fast or uneven heart beat, palpitations, or chest pain
- Fever or chills
- Numbness or tingling in your fingers or toes
- Skin Rash, Itching
- Swelling of your face, lips, or tongue
- Swelling of your legs or ankles
Side effects that usually do not require medical attention
(report to your prescriber or health care professional if
they continue or are bothersome):
What
About Interactions With Other Drugs?
- Antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen)
- Hawthorn
- Heparin
- Lithium
- Medicines for Diabetes
- Medicines for High Blood Pressure
- Potassium salts
- Water Pills
Tell your prescriber or
health care professional about all other medicines you are
taking, including non-prescription medicines, nutritional
supplements, or herbal products. Also tell your prescriber
or health care professional if you are a frequent user of
drinks with caffeine or alcohol, if you smoke, or if you use
illegal drugs. These may affect the way your medicine works.
Check with your health care professional before stopping or
starting any of your medicines.
What should I watch
for while taking Enalapril?
Visit your prescriber or health care professional for regular
checks on your progress. Check your blood pressure regularly
while you are taking enalapril. Ask your prescriber or health
care professional what your blood pressure should be and when
you should contact him or her. Call your prescriber or health
care professional if you notice an uneven or fast heart beat.
Do not treat yourself for a fever or sore throat; check with
your prescriber or health care professional as these may be
the result of an enalapril side effect.
Check with your prescriber or health care professional if
you get an attack of severe diarrhea, nausea and vomiting,
or if you sweat a lot. The loss of body fluid can make it
dangerous to take enalapril.
You may get dizzy. Do not drive, use machinery, or do anything
that needs mental alertness until you know how enalapril affects
you. To avoid dizzy or fainting spells, do not stand or sit
up quickly, especially if you are an older person. Alcohol
can make you more dizzy. Avoid alcoholic drinks.
If you are going to have surgery, tell your prescriber or
health care professional that you are taking enalapril.
Avoid salt substitutes or other foods or substances high in
potassium salts.
Do not treat yourself for coughs, colds, or pain while you
are taking enalapril without asking your prescriber or health
care professional for advice.
What If I Miss A
Dose?
If you miss a dose, take it as soon as
you can. If it is almost time for your next dose, take only
that dose. Do not take double or extra doses. If you take
only one dose a day and forget to take it that day, do not
take a double dose the next day.
How Should It Be
Stored?
Keep out of the reach of children in a
container that small children cannot open.
Store at room temperature below 30 degrees C
(86 degrees F). Protect from moisture. Keep container tightly
closed. Throw away any unused medicine after the expiration
date.
NOTE: The above
information is intended to supplement, not substitute for,
the expertise and judgment of your physician, pharmacist,
or other healthcare professional. It should not be construed
to indicate that the use of the product is safe, appropriate,
or effective for you. Consult your healthcare professional
before taking the product. |