What is Altace?
Altace (ramipril) is an ACE inhibitor used for the treatment of high blood pressure. In some cases your health care provider may prescribed this medications if there is a risk of a heart attack or a stroke. This medicines is also efficient in improving the survival rates in patients after they suffered a heart attack.
Altace comes in a capsule intended for oral administration. You are supposed to take it as prescribed – usually once or twice a day, with some food or without. You may take it with some food in case you get an upset stomach each time you take medications. If you were not examined by a doctor before taking this medication, make sure you read the label very carefully and see whether any dangerous drugs interactions are possible. The capsule can be taken whole, or you can open it and mix the contents with a bit of applesauce or apple juice. Make sure you do not store the mixture for longer than 48 hours in the refrigerator. If you are storing it at room temperature it remains efficient only for 24 hours. The point is – you can prepare the mixture in advance, just make sure you take it before it becomes inefficient. To make sure you will get maximum benefits from your treatment, you will be probably started on a lower dose of this medication. However, your dose will be probably increased later depending on how well you respond to the treatment. Being allergic to ramipril or some other medications can prevent you from taking Altace safely.
Make sure you tell your health care provider if you are also allergic to any of the following drugs: fosinopril, enalapril, perindopril, moexipril, trandolapril, or benazepril. Report to your health care provider any health conditions you have or ever used to have, as these may affect your treatment and make it less efficient. The following ones are supposed to be reported: diabetes, angioedema, liver disease, kidney disease, lupus, scleroderma, or heart disease. If you have plans to become pregnant or breastfeed – wait until your doctor learns about if from you as this drug is not supposed t be taken by pregnant or breastfeeding women.
Altace side effects are quite common and can include some of the following: headache, dizziness, cough, upset stomach, vomiting, and weakness. Some more serious side effects are also possible. They need to be reported to your doctor as soon as possible: swelling of the face, hoarseness, difficulty breathing or swallowing, yellowing of the skin or eyes, sore throat, chills, lightheadedness, and fainting. If you develop any other side effects – report them to the doctor as well.
The following drugs are not supposed to be combined with Altace to make sure you enjoy its beneficial effects: nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications, potassium supplements, lithium, and diuretics.
If you happened to miss a dose of Altace – there is no need to worry, the following needs to be done: if it's almost time to take another dose - you can just skip the one you missed and go back to the regular dosing schedule. If you remembered about the dose soon after it was supposed to be taken – take it as soon as possible and then carry on with the regular routine. It's recommended to avoid missing doses too often, as sooner or later this will produce a negative effect on the quality of your treatment.
This drug has been reported to cause birth defects in babies whose mothers took it during pregnancy. Make sure you tell your health care provider if you think you may have become pregnant to make sure your child is safe. Although you may still be required to carry on with the treatment, every effort will be made to make sure your baby is safe.
If you think you have taken too much of this drug and experience symptoms such as call your local emergency center as soon as possible: lightheadedness and fainting.
How to take Altace for efficient treatment
Altace precautions
Altace is FDA pregnancy category D – it causes severe birth defects in newborn babies and can also pass into breast milk. Unless it is absolutely necessary you will not be prescribed this medication if you are already pregnant – to make sure your baby is safe and no harmful effects are going to take place. You need to be careful with consuming high amounts of sodium and potassium while taking this medications. Discuss your diet with your doctor before starting the treatment to make sure the dosage you are taking is efficient and there is no interference of any kind. Make sure you keep all of your appointments if there are any. Your health care provider is likely to monitor your condition closely, especially if you have any particular medical conditions or are taking certain drugs or herbal supplements – just to make sure your treatment is safe and no dose adjustment is required.
Are any side effects possible?
Medicines Altace can interfere with
Missing a dose of Altace
Pregnancy and breastfeeding when taking Altace
Is Altace overdose possible?