What is Captopril medicine, what is it used for and what properties does it have? You will find the answers to all the questions in the materials of this article. In addition, we will tell you about how to take this medicine, as well as about what side effects and contraindications it has.
General drug information
The drug āCaptoprilā in Latin sounds like āCaptoprilā. This medication is a synthetic angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (or ACE for short). It is quite widely used in medical practice to quickly reduce blood pressure.
The composition and form of the drug
Captopril medication - what is this remedy prescribed for? As a rule, doctors prescribe it to those who constantly suffer from hypertension. The presented medication goes on sale only in the form of cylindrical tablets, which are placed in a cardboard package. The active ingredient in this drug is captopril. Its content in each tablet is 25 or 50 mg. One package can contain 100, 50, 40, 30, 20 or 10 pieces.
Pharmacological action of the drug
As mentioned above, Captopril tablets, the instructions for which are enclosed in a cardboard package, are an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (that is, ACE).
It should be noted that the antihypertensive properties of this drug are associated with competitive inhibition of ACE activity, which leads to a significant decrease in the rate of conversion of angiotensin 1 to angiotensin 2, which is a rather powerful vasoconstrictor component.
After a noticeable decrease in the concentration of angiotensin 2, a repeated increase in plasma renin activity occurs due to the elimination of negative feedback during its release, as well as a direct decrease in aldosterone production. In addition, the Captopril medication, the analogues of which are presented below, is able to influence the kinin-kallikrein system, thereby preventing the breakdown of bradykinin.
Due to the vasodilating effect, this drug significantly reduces total vascular resistance (peripheral), wedging pressure in the capillaries of the lungs and resistance in their vessels. In addition, it is able to increase the minute volume of the heart muscle and exercise tolerance.
If the Captopril drug, reviews of which are more positive, is taken for a very long time, then it prevents the development of heart failure, reduces severe left ventricular myocardial hypertrophy, and also slows the progression of dilatation.
Among other things, this medication can inhibit the progression of diabetic nephropathy, reduce the tone of the efferent arterioles of the glomeruli of the kidneys and significantly improve intracubic hemodynamics.
Pharmacokinetics of the drug
After taking the drug inside, it is rapidly absorbed. Such a medication begins to act in about 40-60 minutes. The maximum concentration in the human body is reached after the 1st hour.
It should be especially noted that the simultaneous intake of food with the drug presented reduces its absorption to 30-40%. That is why such tablets are advised to be taken 1 hour before the meal or 1-1.5 hours after it.
The duration of action after using this medication (in order to lower blood pressure) depends on the frequency of its administration and dosage. To develop a full therapeutic effect, the patient may need several weeks of therapy.
Features and properties of the drug "Captopril"
Now you know what Captopril is, what it is used for and how it acts in relation to the human body. But in order to understand why this drug is so popular, its properties should be considered.
The active substance, which is part of the Captopril preparation, has vasodilating, hypotensive and cardioprotective properties.
This drug is able to increase the release of biologically active substances that have a natriuretic effect. Due to this property, blood flow in the kidneys is markedly improved. In addition, the drug āCaptoprilā for pressure reduces the overall post- and preload on the heart, and also increases cardiac output.
Indications for use of the drug
The presented medication is indicated for the treatment of the following deviations:
- Hypertension of arterial and renovascular. It can be used both in combination and in monotherapy.
- Disorders of the left ventricle. As a rule, this drug is used in relation to those people who have suffered myocardial infarction and are now in a clinically stable condition.
- Diabetic nephropathy. It is prescribed only to those who have type 1 diabetes, that is, insulin-dependent people.
- Cardiomyopathy
The drug "Captopril" - what else is prescribed such a medication from? As you know, the drug presented can be used as part of complex therapy for heart failure (congestive).
Contraindications to the use of the medication
According to the instructions, the drug "Captopril" is strictly forbidden to take in the following cases:
- With increased sensitivity to the active component - captopril. It should also be noted that this medication is not recommended for those who have obvious intolerance to a group of drugs that are angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (that is, patients who develop angionephrotic edema during treatment with other ACE inhibitor).
- With severe violations of the liver.
- With cardiogenic shock.
- With disorders of the digestive tract.
- With severe renal impairment, the condition after transplantation of this organ, bilateral stenosis of the arteries, azotemia, hyperkalemia, as well as primary hyperaldosteronism.
- With arterial hypotension.
- With immunological diseases.
- With mitral stenosis and stenosis of the aortic orifice.
In addition, the drug "Captopril", analogues of this medication is not recommended for pregnant women, children under the age of 18 years, as well as nursing mothers.
The drug "Captopril": instructions, the price of medication
According to the attached instructions, this drug should be taken about 1 hour before a meal. The duration of therapy, as well as the dosage regimen of the presented medication should be determined only by the therapist individually, depending on the type and course of the existing disease.
So how should you take Captopril? The dose (initial) of this medication with a diagnosis of arterial hypertension is 12.5 mg twice a day. In case of acute need, 2 tablets of 25 mg each can be used at a time. But in this case, it is desirable to divide the technique into 3 times. The maximum daily dose of such a medication is 150 mg.
If the doctor prescribed you maintenance therapy for a long time, then the Captopril drug, the indications of which we examined a little higher, should be taken 1 tablet (25 mg) three times or twice a day.
With renovascular and renal hypertension, the initial dosage of such a drug is 6.25 mg three times a day. Maintenance therapy should include 1 tablet of the drug (25 mg) three times a day.
If you have been diagnosed with chronic heart failure and have kidney problems, the initial dosage should be 12.5 or 6.25 mg three times a day. Moreover, every 2-3 weeks it should be brought to a maintenance dose of 25-50 mg with the same frequency. In the post-infarction period, the method of taking this medication is similar.
Groups of ACE drugs in old age are prescribed only by a therapist. In this case, treatment should be selected individually. Captopril should be taken in such doses at such a minimum dose. In addition, it is not recommended to increase it throughout the course of therapy. In case of urgent need, loop diuretics can be additionally used.
As for the price, for 40 tablets of this drug you will have to pay about 50-60 Russian rubles. As you can see, Captopril is a relatively inexpensive medication that can effectively lower blood pressure without harm to health.
Take with extreme caution
The medication presented should be taken with extreme caution when:
- inhibition of bone marrow circulation;
- severe autoimmune diseases;
- diabetes mellitus;
- cerebral ischemia ;
- coronary heart disease.
Side effects
According to the instructions, after using Captopril, the following adverse reactions may occur in patients:
- bronchospasm, bronchitis, shortness of breath, unproductive dry cough;
- depression of the central nervous system, headache, convulsions, ataxia, dizziness, tingling in the upper and lower extremities, as well as a feeling of numbness, confusion, sense of smell and vision, increased fatigue, depression;
- exfoliative dermatitis, pruritus, skin rash, photodermatitis, pemphigus, Quincke's edema, urticaria, anaphylactic shock, toxic epidermal necrolysis, alopecia;
- heart rhythm disturbance, angina pectoris, orthostatic hypotension, myocardial infarction, tachycardia;
- taste disturbance, flatulence, loss of appetite, stomatitis, nausea, constipation, glossitis, ulcerative lesions of the gastric mucosa and oral cavity, diarrhea, vomiting, xerostomia, abdominal pain;
- paresthesia, arthritis, peripheral polyneuropathy;
- neutropenia, hyperkalemia, thrombocytopenia, agranulocytosis, eosinophilia;
- oliguria, proteinuria, impaired renal function;
- cholestatic hepatitis, pancreatitis, cholestasis, hepatocellular necrosis.
According to the reviews that consumers leave about this drug, side effects can manifest themselves much more if, while taking the medication, a low-salt or salt-free diet is followed.
The drug "Captopril": overdose
In case of an overdose of this drug, patients may experience side effects such as myocardial infarction, a pronounced and rapid decrease in blood pressure, acute cerebrovascular accident and thromboembolic complications.
Precautionary measures
According to experts, it is not recommended to take this drug with potassium-sparing diuretics, as well as other drugs that significantly increase the concentration of potassium in the blood plasma. If you neglect this advice, then there is a big risk of developing hyperkalemia.
In addition, Captopril should be used with extreme caution while taking Procainamide, Allopurinol, Azathioprine, or other immunosuppressants, especially in cases of impaired renal function.
With diffuse diseases of the connective tissues, as well as chronic heart failure, this medication is required to be taken only under close medical supervision.
It should also be noted that, according to the reviews of patients and doctors, the hypotensive effect of this medication is reduced by the drug āIndomethacinā and estrogens.
Storage conditions
The drug "Captopril" refers to drugs of list B. This medication is dispensed in pharmacy chains only by medical prescription. Shelf life is 3 years from the date of manufacture. It is desirable to contain such a product in a dark and dry place, at a temperature of no more than 25 Ā° C.
Analogues of the drug
According to the active component, the following structural analogues of this drug exist:
- Captopril Ferein;
- "Angiopril-25";
- Captopril Acre;
- Alkadil
- Captopril Sandoz;
- Vero Captopril;
- Captopril UBF;
- "Blockordil";
- Captopril AKOS;
- Captopril Hexal;
- "Kapoten";
- Captopril FPO;
- Captopril Sar;
- "Catopil";
- Captopril Egis;
- "Epsitron";
- Captopril STI.
As you can see, the presented medication has quite a few analogues. In this regard, patients often have the question of which is better - the drug āCaptoprilā or āKapotenā. There is no fundamental difference between them. They differ among themselves only by the manufacturer. For the same reason, Kapoten is 3.5 times more expensive than Captopril.
Reviews about the drug
Despite the cheapness, the Captopril medication effectively lowers blood pressure. Patients who have repeatedly used such a drug, note that its effect is noticeable within 1-3 hours after administration.
Individual allergic reactions after the use of this drug are found in about 5-8% of people. Many argue that such a drug causes severe swelling. That is why before using it, you should definitely consult a doctor. If Captopril causes at least one side effect, then it is advisable to refuse it and switch to a medicine for high blood pressure from another group.
There are quite a few reviews that the drugs āCaptoprilā, āKapotenā and other analogues of these drugs effectively help get rid of hypertension in older people. But before such a reception, you should definitely consult a doctor. In addition, a person in old age is recommended to use only the minimum dose of the medication to eliminate high blood pressure and treat other diseases.
How safe is the use of the drug?
In 2010, on the basis of the regional clinical hospital in Rivne (Ukraine), a study was conducted of the frequency of side effects from taking Captopril. This procedure involved people with moderate and mild arterial hypertension. As a result, out of 500 subjects, only 73 people complained of side effects. Of these, 53 - canceled the drug, and the remaining 20 continued, as they considered that it brings much more health benefits than harm.