Captopril — uses, dosing, side effects & the brands that sell it · pharmaranks
Captopril: uses, dosing, side effects & brands
Captopril is an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor sold in the U.S. under 2 brand and generic names, for rheumatoid arthritis, bartter syndrome and diabetic nephropathies. Below: what the FDA label says, every product that contains it, what the pills look like, and its recall record.
By the pharmaranks editorial team·Reviewed against the FDA (openFDA label, NDC Directory & Enforcement) sources·How we research
Key facts
Drug class
Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibitor
Treats
Rheumatoid Arthritis, Bartter Syndrome and Diabetic Nephropathies
From the FDA label for Capoten (application NDA018343). Other captopril products — different forms, different strengths — are dosed differently. Follow the label for the one you were prescribed.
Captopril tablets, USP should be taken one hour before meals. Dosage must be individualized. Hypertension: Initiation of therapy requires consideration of recent antihypertensive drug treatment, the extent of blood pressure elevation, salt restriction, and other clinical circumstances. If possible, discontinue the patient’s previous antihypertensive drug regimen for one week before starting captopril. The initial dose of captopril tablets, USP is 25 mg twice daily or three times a day. If satisfactory reduction of blood pressure has not been achieved after one week or two weeks, the dose may be increased to 50 mg twice daily or three times a day. Concomitant sodium restriction may be beneficial when captopril is used alone. The dose of captopril tablets, USP in hypertension usually does not exceed 50 mg three times a day. Therefore, if the blood pressure has not been satisfactorily controlled after one week to two weeks at this dose, (and the patient is not already receiving a diuretic), a modest dose of a thiazide-type diuretic (e.g., hydrochlorothiazide, 25 mg daily), should be added. The diuretic dose may be increased at one-week to two-week intervals until its highest usual antihypertensive dose is reached. If captopril is being started in a patient already receiving a diuretic, captopril therapy should be initiated under close medical supervision (see WARNINGS and…
Captopril side effects
Reported incidences are based on clinical trials involving approximately 7,000 patients. Renal : About one of 100 patients developed proteinuria (see WARNINGS ). Each of the following has been reported in approximately 1 to 2 of 1,000 patients and are of uncertain relationship to drug use: renal insufficiency, renal failure, nephrotic syndrome, polyuria, oliguria, and urinary frequency. Hematologic : Neutropenia/agranulocytosis has occurred (see WARNINGS ). Cases of anemia, thrombocytopenia, and pancytopenia have been reported. Dermatologic : Rash, often with pruritus, and sometimes with fever, arthralgia, and eosinophilia, occurred in about 4 to 7 (depending on renal status and dose) of 100 patients, usually during the first four weeks of therapy. It is usually maculopapular, and rarely urticarial. The rash is usually mild and disappears within a few days of dosage reduction, short-term treatment with an antihistaminic agent, and/or discontinuing therapy; remission may occur even if captopril is continued. Pruritus, without rash, occurs in about 2 of 100 patients. Between 7 percent and 10 percent of patients with skin rash have shown an eosinophilia and/or positive ANA titers. A reversible associated pemphigoid-like lesion, and photosensitivity, have also been reported. Flushing or pallor has been reported in 2 to 5 of 1,000 patients. Cardiovascular : Hypotension may occur;…
Captopril and food
Potassium-rich foods & salt substitutes
Don't use potassium-based salt substitutes unless your clinician approves, and ask before taking potassium supplements. Your clinician may check your potassium level with blood tests.
Captopril tablets, USP are a specific competitive inhibitor of angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE), the enzyme responsible for the conversion of angiotensin I to angiotensin II. Captopril is designated chemically as 1-[(2S)-3-mercapto-2-methylpropionyl] -L-proline [MW 217.28] and has the following structure: Captopril USP is a white to off-white crystalline powder that may have a slight sulfurous odor; it is soluble in water (approx. 126 mg/mL), methanol, and ethanol and sparingly soluble in chloroform and ethyl acetate. Captopril tablets, USP are available in potencies of 12.5 mg, 25 mg, 50 mg, and 100 mg as scored tablets for oral administration. Inactive ingredients: microcrystalline cellulose, lactose, crospovidone, colloidal silicon dioxide and stearic acid. captopril-structure
What kind of drug is captopril?
The FDA classifies captopril as an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor. If you are checking whether it is safe to combine with something else, the class is what matters — two drugs from the same class usually should not be stacked.
Can you take captopril with other medicines?
It depends on the medicine. We check it against the FDA labels rather than guessing: our interaction checker searches each drug's own label for the other and quotes what it says, naming the section it came from. Run captopril against whatever else you take — and remember that a label not naming a drug is not the same as that combination being safe.
What brand names is captopril sold under?
We track 2 captopril-containing products in the U.S.: Capoten and Captopril. They are the same active ingredient; they differ in form, manufacturer, price and FDA recall record.
What forms does captopril come in?
Across the brands we track, captopril is currently marketed as tablet, per the FDA's National Drug Code Directory. Each form is dosed differently — follow the label for the exact product you were prescribed.
Sources: FDA openFDA drug label, National Drug Code Directory, and Enforcement (recall) database. This page reproduces public FDA data and is not medical advice. Dosing is set by your prescriber.
Who shouldn’t take captopril
Captopril is contraindicated in patients who are hypersensitive to this product or any other angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (e.g., a patient who has experienced angioedema during therapy with any other ACE inhibitor). Do not co-administer aliskiren with captopril in patients with diabetes (see PRECAUTIONS , Drug Interactions ). Captopril is contraindicated in combination with a neprilysin inhibitor (e.g., sacubitril). Do not administer captopril within 36 hours of switching to or from sacubitril/valsartan, a nepriltsin inhibitor (see PRECAUTIONS , Drug Interactions ).
Yes. Our catalog lists 1 generic captopril product alongside the brand versions. A generic has the same active ingredient and must meet the FDA's bioequivalence standard; it usually costs less. Ask your pharmacist which one your plan covers.