Lotrel

Lotrel is a prescription medication used to treat high blood pressure. It is a single product containing 2 medications: amlodipine and benazepril. Amlodipine is in a class of medications called calcium channel blockers. It works by relaxing the blood vessels so the heart does not have to pump as hard. Benazepril is in a class of medications called angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors.  It works by decreasing certain chemicals that tighten the blood vessels, so blood flows more smoothly.

This medication comes in capsule form and is taken once a day, with or without food.

Common side effects of Lotrel include dizziness, cough, and swelling of the feet, ankles, or hands. Do not drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how Lotrel affects you.

Lotrel is a prescription medication used to treat blood pressure.

This medication may be prescribed for other uses.  Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

• Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation

Serious side effects have been reported with Lotrel. See the "Lotrel Precautions" section.

Common side effects of Lotrel include the following:

• dizziness, fainting on standing up
• cough (dry, nonproductive, mainly at night, continuing)
• swelling of the feet, ankles, and hands

This is not a complete list of Lotrel side effects. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Tell your doctor if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away.

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

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.  Especially tell your doctor if you take:

• simvastatin (a medicine used to control elevated cholesterol
• medicines for high blood pressure or heart failure
• water pills, extra potassium or a salt substitute
• lithium (Eskalith, Lithobid)
• potassium-containing medicines, potassium supplements or salt substitutes containing potassium
• cyclosporine, an immunosuppressant medicine used in transplanted patients to reduce the risk of organ rejection
• indomethacin and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), medicines used to relieve pain and inflammation
• insulin or oral antidiabetics, medicines that help a person with diabetes to control their level of glucose (sugar) in the blood
• gold for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis
• probenecid, a medicine used to treat gout and hyperuricemia
• medicines used to prevent and treat fungal skin infections (e.g. ketoconazole, itraconazole)
• medicines used to treat AIDS or HIV infections (e.g. ritonavir, indinavir)
• medicines used to treat bacterial infections (e.g. clarithromycin)
• medicines used in organ transplant recipients or for treating some cancers (e.g. temsirolimus, sirolimus, everolimus)

Avoid alcohol until you have discussed the matter with your doctor. Alcohol may make blood pressure fall more and/or increase the possibility of dizziness or fainting.  

This is not a complete list of Lotrel drug interactions. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Serious side effects have been reported with Lotrel including the following:

• serious allergic reactions that can be life threatening. Stop Lotrel and get emergency help right away if you get swelling of your face, eyelids, lips, tongue, or throat; have trouble swallowing; asthma, or other breathing problems. These allergic reactions are rare but happen more times in people who are African-American.
• low blood pressure (hypotension). Low blood pressure is most likely to happen if you also take water pills, are on a low salt diet, get dialysis treatments, have heart problems or get sick with vomiting or diarrhea. Lie down if you feel faint or dizzy.
• liver problems. Call your doctor if:
  • ​you have nausea
  • you feel more tired or weaker than usual
  • you have itching
  • your skin or eyes look yellow
  • you have pain in your upper right stomach
  • you have flu-like symptoms
• kidney problems. Some people will have changes on blood tests for kidney function and need a lower dose of Lotrel. Call your doctor if you get swelling in your feet, ankles, or hands or unexplained weight gain.
• more chest pain and heart attacks in people that already have severe heart problems. Get emergency help if you get worse chest pain or chest pain that does not go away.

Do not take Lotrel if you:

• are allergic to Lotrel or to any of its ingredients
• have diabetes and are also taking aliskiren
• have a history of angioedema, with or without previous ACE inhibitor treatment

Medications can interact with certain foods. In some cases, this may be harmful and your doctor may advise you to avoid certain foods. In the case of Lotrel, salt substitutes containing potassium should be avoided.

Before taking Lotrel, tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions. Especially tell your doctor if you:

• are allergic to Lotrel or to any of its ingredients
• are pregnant or plan to become pregnant
• are breastfeeding
• have a heart condition
• have liver problems
• have kidney problems
• are about to have an operation (including dental surgery) or emergency treatment
• are suffering from several episodes of vomiting or diarrhea
• are treated for hyperkalemia (too much potassium in the blood)
• are already taking a diuretic (a medicine to increase the amount of urine you produce)

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.  

The FDA categorizes medications based on safety for use during pregnancy. Five categories - A, B, C, D, and X, are used to classify the possible risks to an unborn baby when a medication is taken during pregnancy.

Lotrel falls into category D. It has been shown that use of Lotrel in pregnant women caused some babies to be born with problems. However, in some serious situations, the benefit of using this medication may be greater than the risk of harm to the baby. See FDA Warning section for more information.

Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed.

Minimal amounts of benazepril are excreted into the breast milk. It is unknown whether amlodipine is excreted in human milk. Because many medications can cross into human milk and because of the possibility for serious adverse reactions in nursing infants with use of this medication, a choice should be made whether to stop nursing or stop the use of this medication. Your doctor and you will decide if the benefits outweigh the risks of using Lotrel.

Take Lotrel exactly as prescribed.

Lotrel comes in capsule form and is taken once a day, at the same time each day, with or without food.

If you miss a dose, take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and take your next dose at the regular time. Do not take two doses of Lotrel at the same time.

Take this medication exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully. The dose your doctor recommends may be based on the following:

• the condition being treated
• other medical conditions you have
• other medications you are taking
• how you respond to this medication
• your weight
• your height
• your age
• your gender

The recommended inital dose of Lotrel is 1 capsule of amlodipine 2.5mg/benazepril 10mg orally once daily. The antihypertensive effect of Lotrel is largely attained within 2 weeks. If blood pressure remains uncontrolled, the dose may be titrated up to amlodipine 10mg/benazepril 40mg once daily. The dosing should be individualized and adjusted according to the patient's clinical response.

If you take too much Lotrel, call your healthcare provider or local Poison Control Center, or seek emergency medical attention right away.

If Lotrel is administered by a healthcare provider in a medical setting, it is unlikely that an overdose will occur. However, if overdose is suspected, seek emergency medical attention.

• Store Lotrel at room temperature.
• Keep Lotrel in a closed container in a dry place.
• Keep this and all medicines out of the reach of children.

WARNING: FETAL TOXICITY

When pregnancy is detected, discontinue Lotrel as soon as possible. Drugs that act directly on the renin-angiotensin system can cause injury and death to the developing fetus.