Apo-Quinapril: Uses, Side Effects and Dosage

Serious Warnings and Precautions

Pregnancy

APO-QUINAPRIL should not be used during pregnancy. Taking APO-QUINAPRIL can cause injury or even death to your baby. If you discover that you are pregnant while taking APO-QUINAPRIL, stop the medication and contact your healthcare professional as soon as possible.

What is APO-QUINAPRIL used for?

• High Blood Pressure (Hypertension): APO-QUINAPRIL lowers high blood pressure. It can be used alone or together with a diuretic (“water pill”).
• Congestive Heart Failure: APO-QUINAPRIL is used for congestive heart failure (a condition where the heart is unable to pump enough blood for the body`s needs), when it is combined with either a diuretic (“water pill”) and/or digitalis glycosides (drugs which help the heart beat more normally).

How does APO-QUINAPRIL work?

APO-QUINAPRIL is an angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor. You can recognize ACE inhibitors because their medicinal ingredient ends in ‘-PRIL’.

This medicine does not cure your disease. It helps to control it. Therefore, it is important to continue taking APO-QUINAPRIL regularly even if you feel fine.

What are the ingredients in APO-QUINAPRIL?

Medicinal ingredients: Quinapril hydrochloride

Non-medicinal ingredients: Copovidone, crospovidone, iron oxide red, iron oxide yellow, lecithin, magnesium carbonate, polyvinyl alcohol, talc, titanium dioxide, xanthan gum and zinc stearate.

APO-QUINAPRIL comes in the following dosage forms:

Tablets; 5 mg, 10 mg, 20 mg and 40 mg.

Do not use APO-QUINAPRIL if you:

• Are allergic to quinapril hydrochloride or to any non-medicinal ingredient in the formulation.
• Have experienced an allergic reaction (angioedema) with swelling of the hands, feet, or ankles, face, lips, tongue, throat, or sudden difficulty breathing or swallowing, to any ACE inhibitor or without a known cause. Be sure to tell your healthcare professional that this has happened to you.
• Have been diagnosed with hereditary angioedema: an increased risk of getting an allergic reaction that is passed down through families. This can be triggered by different factors, such as surgery, flu, or dental procedures.
• Are taking ENTRESTO™ (sacubitril/valsartan), due to the increased risk of serious allergic reaction which causes swelling of the face or throat (angioedema) when taken with APO-QUINAPRIL.
• Are pregnant or intend to become pregnant. Taking APO-QUINAPRIL during pregnancy can cause injury and even death to your baby.
• Are breastfeeding. APO-QUINAPRIL passes into breast milk.
• Have renovascular hypertension (a form of high blood pressure that affects the blood vessels leading to the kidney’s).

• Are taking aliskiren-containing medicines, such as Rasilez, and have one of the following conditions:

  • Diabetes
  • Kidney disease
  • High levels of potassium
  • Congestive heart failure combined with hypotension.

• Are taking an angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB), another medicine to treat your high blood pressure, and have one of the following conditions:

  • Diabetes with end organ damage
  • Kidney disease
  • High levels of potassium
  • Congestive heart failure combined with hypotension.

You can recognize ARBs because their medicinal ingredient ends in “-SARTAN”.

To help avoid side effects and ensure proper use, talk to your healthcare professional before you take APO-QUINAPRIL. Talk about any health conditions or problems you may have, including if you:

• Are allergic to any drug used to lower blood pressure.
• Have a condition causing your body’s immune system to attack your own tissues (collagen vascular disease)
• Have recently received or are planning to get allergy shots for bee or wasp stings.
• Have narrowing of an artery or a heart valve.
• Have had a heart attack or stroke.
• Have heart failure.
• Have diabetes, liver or kidney problems.
• Are on dialysis or receiving LDL apheresis (treatment to remove “bad cholesterol” from the blood).
• Are dehydrated or suffer from excessive vomiting, diarrhea, or sweating.
• Are taking a salt substitute that contains potassium, potassium supplements, or a potassium-sparing diuretic (a specific kind of “water pill”).
• Are taking an antibiotic containing trimethoprim.
• Are on a low-salt diet.
• Are receiving gold (sodium aurothiomalate) injections.
• Are less than 18 years old.
• Are taking a neutral endopeptidase inhibitor. The combination with APO-QUINAPRIL is not recommended.
• Are taking a medicine that contains aliskiren, such as Rasilez or an angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB). The combination with APO-QUINAPRIL is not recommended.
• Are taking anti-cancer (temsirolimus, everolimus), anti-rejection (sirolimus) or anti-diabetic (gliptins) drugs. Use of ACE inhibitors, such as APO-QUINAPRIL, with these drugs may increase the chance of having an allergic reaction.
• Have a medical history or family history of psoriasis (rash with itchy, scaly patches usually on the knees, elbows truck and scalp).

Other warnings you should know about:

You may become sensitive to the sun while taking APO-QUINAPRIL. Exposure to sunlight should be minimized until you know how you respond.

If you are going to have surgery and will be given an anesthetic, be sure to tell your healthcare professional that you are taking APO-QUINAPRIL.

Driving and using machines: Before you perform tasks, which may require special attention, wait until you know how you respond to APO-QUINAPRIL. Dizziness, light-headedness, or fainting can especially occur after the first dose and when the dose is increased. Exercise caution when driving or operating a vehicle or potentially dangerous machinery.

Development or worsening symptoms of psoriasis:

APO-QUINAPRIL can cause or worsen psoriasis (rash with itchy, scaly patches usually on the knees, elbows truck and scalp). Talk to your healthcare professional if you experience symptoms of psoriasis or worsening psoriasis.

Tell your healthcare professional about all the medicines you take, including any drugs, vitamins, minerals, natural supplements or alternative medicines.

The following may interact with APO-QUINAPRIL:

• Agents increasing serum potassium, such as a salt substitute that contains potassium, potassium supplements, a potassium-sparing diuretic (a specific kind of “water pill”) or sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim.
• Alcohol.
• Allopurinol used to treat gout.
• Anti-cancer drugs, including cyclophosphamide, methotrexate and temsirolimus and everolimus.
• Anti-rejection drugs, such as sirolimus (Rapamune)
• Anti-diabetic drugs including insulin and oral medicines (e.g. metformin, gliptins, sulfonylureas)
• Blood pressure-lowering drugs, including diuretics (“water pills”), aliskiren-containing products (e.g. Rasilez), angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) (in addition to APO-QUINAPRIL).
• Gold for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.
• Lithium used to treat bipolar disease.
• Neutral endopeptidase (NEP) inhibitor used to treat heart failure
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), used to reduce pain and swelling. Examples include ibuprofen, naproxen, and celecoxib.
• Tetracycline (a type of antibiotic).

How to take APO-QUINAPRIL:

Usual dose:

Take APO-QUINAPRIL exactly as prescribed. It is recommended to take your dose at about the same time every day.

Usual Adult Dose:

High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)

For patients NOT taking a diuretic (“water pills”): The recommended starting dose is 10 mg once a day.

For patients ALSO taking a diuretic (“water pill”): The recommended starting dose is 5 mg once a day.

Congestive Heart Failure

The recommended starting dose is 5 mg once a day.

Overdose:

Missed Dose:

If you have forgotten to take your dose during the day, take it as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for the next dose, the missed dose should be skipped. You carry on with the next dose at the usual time. Do NOT double dose.

What are possible side effects from using APO-QUINAPRIL?

These are not all the possible side effects you may have when taking APO-QUINAPRIL. If you experience any side effects not listed here, tell your healthcare professional.

Side effects may include:

• dizziness, headache, trouble sleeping
• drowsiness, fatigue, weakness
• cough, stuffy and runny nose
• abdominal pain, diarrhea, indigestion, nausea, vomiting
• back pain

APO-QUINAPRIL can cause abnormal blood test results. Your healthcare professional will decide when to perform blood tests and will interpret the results.

Serious side effects and what to do about them

Serious side effects and what to do about them

If you have a troublesome symptom or side effect that is not listed here or becomes bad enough to interfere with your daily activities, tell your healthcare professional.

Reporting Side Effects

Storage:

Store in tightly closed containers between 15°C and 25°C. Protect from moisture. Product should be stored in the original closed container with the desiccant. If re-dispensed, ensure desiccant is added to the original container.

Keep out of reach and sight of children.

If you want more information about APO-QUINAPRIL:

Last Revised: September 22, 2023