Captopril

About Captopril

Captopril is used to manage high blood pressure (hypertension), heart failure, heart attack, and preserve kidney function in certain diabetic patients.

You will experience the benefits of this medication some weeks after you start treatment.

How does Captopril work?

Tensed blood vessels play a role in increasing blood pressure. Captopril blocks an enzyme (angiotensin converting enzyme) that causes blood vessels to become tense.

Captopril helps the blood vessels to relax and widen to improve blood flow and lower blood pressure. Blocking this enzyme also causes you to pass salt (sodium) out in urine. This also helps lower blood pressure.

Useful information

• Heart failure occurs when the power with which the heart beats to pump blood to the body reduces. This makes you easily fatigued and fluid to build up in your legs or chest (edema). High blood pressure and other heart diseases can cause heart failure if not managed.
• Heart attack (myocardial infarction) occurs the muscles of your heart are not supplied enough blood. The muscles receive little or no oxygen, become stressed and can die.
• This can be caused by a block in the vessels that send blood to your heart due to a clot or hardened cholesterol deposits in your blood vessels. High blood pressure also causes damage to your blood vessels and can affect blood supply to your heart muscles and other parts of your body.

What are the side-effects I may experience?

You may experience:

• Cough

  If you experience unbearable dry cough when taking captopril talk to your doctor.

• Dizziness

  You may experience dizziness when you start taking captopril. You can take it in the evening or when sitting down to manage this effect.

• Constipation

• Nausea

• Abdominal pain

• Dry mouth

• Insomnia

Useful information

You should not abruptly stop taking any high blood pressure medications. Talk to your pharmacist or doctor if any side effects of medications become unbearable.

Are there any medications and foods I should avoid?

• You may eat normally while taking captopril. Excess salt can cause hypertension. It is advisable to reduce your salt intake.

• Alcohol can worsen dizzy side effects. Alcohol also worsens high blood pressure. Consumption of alcohol is therefore not recommended.

I forgot a dose. What should I do?

If you forget to take your prescription, take it as soon as you remember.

If you miss a dose, don’t take a double dose.

If your next dose is approaching, skip the missed dose and take the next one.

Can I drive or operate machinery?

Your driving ability can be impaired when your dose is changed, when you start using captopril.

Alcohol can worsen this effect.

Should I be bothered about possible addiction or dependence?

Captopril isn’t addictive.

Will my sexual performance, fertility or contraceptive be impaired?

• Captopril has not been proven to affect sexual performance or fertility.

  Speak to your pharmacist or doctor if you encounter any problems. You should not stop taking your medications.

• Certain contraceptives are not recommended for women with high blood pressure. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any contraceptives long-term.

  Captopril does not affect the effectiveness of contraceptives.

Can I use this medication if I am pregnant or breastfeeding?

• You should not take captopril when pregnant unless prescribed by your doctor.

  Captopril can be toxic to your unborn baby’s kidneys and can reduce the fluid surrounding your baby in the womb. Captopril can also lower the blood pressure of your baby.

• Captopril is secreted in breast milk in very small amounts. Captopril is not recommended during breastfeeding but may be prescribed by your doctor when necessary.