Enalapril instructions for administration

List of indications
Hypertension Dosage Adjustment in Hypertensive Patients with Renal Impairment Heart Failure Asymptomatic Left Ventricular Dysfunction Dosage Adjustment in Patients with Heart Failure and Renal Impairment or Hyponatremia Pediatric Hypertensive Patients -

Hypertension
In patients who are currently being treated with a diuretic, symptomatic hypotension occasionally may occur following the initial dose of Enalapril maleate. The diuretic should, if possible, be discontinued for two to three days before beginning therapy with Enalapril maleate to reduce the likelihood of hypotension. If the patient’s blood pressure is not controlled with Enalapril maleate alone, diuretic therapy may be resumed.

If the diuretic cannot be discontinued an initial dose of 2.5 mg should be used under medical supervision for at least two hours and until blood pressure has stabilized for at least an additional hour.

The recommended initial dose in patients not on diuretics is 5 mg once a day. Dosage should be adjusted according to blood pressure response. The usual dosage range is 10 to 40 mg per day administered in a single dose or two divided doses. In some patients treated once daily, the antihypertensive effect may diminish toward the end of the dosing interval. In such patients, an increase in dosage or twice daily administration should be considered. If blood pressure is not controlled with Enalapril maleate alone, a diuretic may be added.

Concomitant administration of Enalapril maleate with potassium supplements, potassium salt substitutes, or potassium-sparing diuretics may lead to increases of serum potassium.

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Dosage Adjustment in Hypertensive Patients with Renal Impairment
The usual dose of Enalapril maleate is recommended for patients with a creatinine clearance >30 mL/min (serum creatinine of up to approximately 3 mg/dL). For patients with creatinine clearance <30 mL/min (serum creatinine >3 mg/dL), the first dose is 2.5 mg once daily. The dosage may be titrated upward until blood pressure is controlled or to a maximum of 40 mg daily.



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Heart Failure
Enalapril maleate is indicated for the treatment of symptomatic heart failure, usually in combination with diuretics and digitalis. In the placebo-controlled studies that demonstrated improved survival, patients were titrated as tolerated up to 40 mg, administered in two divided doses.

The recommended initial dose is 2.5 mg. The recommended dosing range is 2.5 to 20 mg given twice a day. Doses should be titrated upward, as tolerated, over a period of a few days or weeks. The maximum daily dose administered in clinical trials was 40 mg in divided doses.

After the initial dose of Enalapril maleate, the patient should be observed under medical supervision for at least two hours and until blood pressure has stabilized for at least an additional hour. If possible, the dose of any concomitant diuretic should be reduced which may diminish the likelihood of hypotension. The appearance of hypotension after the initial dose of Enalapril maleate does not preclude subsequent careful dose titration with the drug, following effective management of the hypotension.

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Asymptomatic Left Ventricular Dysfunction
In the trial that demonstrated efficacy, patients were started on 2.5 mg twice daily and were titrated as tolerated to the targeted daily dose of 20 mg (in divided doses).

After the initial dose of Enalapril maleate, the patient should be observed under medical supervision for at least two hours and until blood pressure has stabilized for at least an additional hour. If possible, the dose of any concomitant diuretic should be reduced which may diminish the likelihood of hypotension. The appearance of hypotension after the initial dose of Enalapril maleate does not preclude subsequent careful dose titration with the drug, following effective management of the hypotension.

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Dosage Adjustment in Patients with Heart Failure and Renal Impairment or Hyponatremia
In patients with heart failure who have hyponatremia (serum sodium less than 130 mEq/L) or with serum creatinine greater than 1.6 mg/dL, therapy should be initiated at 2.5 mg daily under close medical supervision. The dose may be increased to 2.5 mg b.i.d., then 5 mg b.i.d. and higher as needed, usually at intervals of four days or more if at the time of dosage adjustment there is not excessive hypotension or significant deterioration of renal function. The maximum daily dose is 40 mg.

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Pediatric Hypertensive Patients
Enalapril is not recommended in neonates and in pediatric patients with glomerular filtration rate <30 mL/min/1.73 m2, as no data are available.

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