Amlodipine/benazepril (By mouth)

Brand Name(s)

Lotrel

How to Store and Dispose of This Medicine

• Store the medicine in a closed container at room temperature, away from heat, moisture, and direct light.
• Ask your pharmacist, doctor, or health caregiver about the best way to dispose of any outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed.
• Keep all medicine away from children and never share your medicine with anyone.

Drugs and Foods to Avoid

Ask your doctor or pharmacist before using any other medicine, including over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products.

• Make sure your doctor knows if you are using a diuretic or water pill, such as amiloride, furosemide, hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ), spironolactone, triamterene, Aldactone®, Dyazide®, Dyrenium®, Lasix®, Maxzide®, or Midamor®.
• Make sure your doctor knows if you are also using lithium (Eskalith®, Lithobid®), simvastatin (Zocor®), sodium aurothiomalate (injectable gold), other medicines for high blood pressure (such as diltiazem, nifedipine, verapamil, Cardizem®, or Procardia®), or NSAID pain or arthritis medicine (such as aspirin, celecoxib, ibuprofen, naproxen, Advil®, Aleve®, Celebrex®, Motrin®).
• Ask your doctor before you use medicines, supplements, or salt substitutes that contain potassium.

Warnings While Using This Medicine

• Using this medicine while you are pregnant can harm your unborn baby, especially after the first 3 months of pregnancy. Use an effective form of birth control to prevent pregnancy. Tell your doctor right away if you become pregnant.
• Make sure your doctor knows if you are breastfeeding, or if you have kidney disease, liver disease, congestive heart failure, heart disease, low blood pressure, or a mineral imbalance (such as high potassium or low sodium in the blood). Tell your doctor if you have diabetes, lupus, or an autoimmune disorder (such as collagen vascular disease or scleroderma). Tell your doctor if you are on dialysis.
• Allergic reactions, including angioedema, are rare, but are more common among black patients.
• Stop using this medicine and call your doctor right away if you have severe stomach pain (with or without vomiting). This could be a symptom of a serious allergic reaction.
• Check with your doctor right away if you have chest pain that is worse than usual, trouble breathing, nausea or vomiting, pain or discomfort in your arms, jaw, back, or neck, feel faint, or you are sweating. This medicine may worsen the symptoms of an existing heart problem.
• This medicine could lower your blood pressure too much and cause you to feel dizzy or lightheaded. This is more likely to happen when you begin to use the medicine or if you become dehydrated.
• Stop using this medicine and check with your doctor right away if you have abdominal or stomach pain or tenderness, light-colored stools, dark urine, fever, headache, itching, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, skin rash, swelling of the feet or lower legs, unusual tiredness or weakness, or yellow eyes or skin. These could be signs of liver problems.
• Make sure any doctor or dentist who treats you knows that you are using this medicine. This medicine may affect the results of certain medical tests.
• Even if you feel well, do not stop using this medicine without asking your doctor. This medicine will not cure your high blood pressure, but it will help lower it and keep it down. You may have to take blood pressure medicine for the rest of your life.
• Your doctor will need to check your blood or urine at regular visits while you are using this medicine. Be sure to keep all appointments.

Possible Side Effects While Using This Medicine

Call your doctor right away if you notice any of these side effects:

• Allergic reaction: Itching or hives, swelling in your face or hands, swelling or tingling in your mouth or throat, chest tightness, trouble breathing
• Change in how much or how often you urinate
• Chest pain (may be related to your disease and not a side effect)
• Chest pain that may spread to your arms, jaw, back, or neck, trouble breathing, nausea, unusual sweating, faintness
• Confusion, body weakness, shortness of breath, or numbness or tingling in your hands, feet, or lips
• Dark-colored urine or pale stools
• Fast, pounding, or uneven heartbeat
• Fever, chills, cough, sore throat, and body aches
• Lightheadedness, dizziness, or fainting
• Nausea, vomiting, loss or appetite, or pain in your upper stomach
• Severe stomach pain (with or without nausea or vomiting)
• Swelling in your hands, ankles, or feet
• Unusual tiredness or weakness
• Yellowing of your skin or the whites of your eyes

If you notice these less serious side effects, talk with your doctor:

• Dry cough
• Dry mouth, increased thirst, or muscle cramps
• Headache

Introduction

Amlodipine Besylate (am-LOE-di-peen BES-i-late), Benazepril Hydrochloride (ben-AZ-e-pril hye-droe-KLOR-ide)

Treats high blood pressure. A lower blood pressure will reduce the risk of stroke and heart attack. This medicine is a combination of an ACE inhibitor and a calcium channel blocker.

When This Medicine Should Not Be Used

How to Use This Medicine

Capsule

• Your doctor will tell you how much of this medicine to use and how often. Your dose may need to be changed several times in order to find out what works best for you. Do not use more medicine or use it more often than your doctor tells you to.
• Take this medicine at the same time each day.
• Carefully follow your doctor's instructions about any special diet.
• This medicine comes with patient instructions. Read and follow these instructions carefully. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions.

If a dose is missed:

• If you miss a dose or forget to take your medicine, take it as soon as you can. If more than 12 hours have passed since you missed your last dose, then skip the missed dose and take the next dose when you normally would.

If you notice other side effects that you think are caused by this medicine, tell your doctor

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088