Quinapril

Quinapril, sold under the brand name Accupril among others, is a medication used to treat high blood pressure, heart failure, and diabetic kidney disease. It is a reasonable initial treatment for high blood pressure. It is taken by mouth. Quinapril, sold under the brand name Accupril among others, is a medication used to treat high blood pressure, heart failure, and diabetic kidney disease. It is a reasonable initial treatment for high blood pressure. It is taken by mouth. Common side effects include headaches, dizziness, feeling tired, and cough. Serious side effects may include liver problems, low blood pressure, angioedema, kidney problems, and high blood potassium. Use in pregnancy and breastfeeding is not recommended. It is an ACE inhibitor and works by decreasing renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system activity. Quinapril was patented in 1980 and came into medical use in 1989. It is available as a generic medication. A month supply in the United Kingdom costs the NHS about 4 £ as of 2019. In the United States the wholesale cost of this amount is about US$3.50. In 2016 it was the 208th most prescribed medication in the United States with more than 2 million prescriptions. Quinapril is indicated for the treatment of high blood pressure (hypertension) and as adjunctive therapy in the management of heart failure. It may be used for the treatment of hypertension by itself or in combination with thiazide diuretics, and with diuretics and digoxin for heart failure. Side effects of quinapril include dizziness, cough, vomiting, upset stomach, angioedema, and fatigue. Quinapril inhibits angiotensin converting enzyme, an enzyme which catalyses the formation of angiotensin II from its precursor, angiotensin I. Angiotensin II is a powerful vasoconstrictor and increases blood pressure through a variety of mechanisms. Due to reduced angiotensin production, plasma concentrations of aldosterone are also reduced, resulting in increased excretion of sodium in the urine and increased concentrations of potassium in the blood.