Quinapril: uses, appearance and warnings

Hypertension Quinapril tablets, USP are indicated for the treatment of hypertension, to lower blood pressure. Lowering blood pressure reduces the risk of fatal and nonfatal cardiovascular events, primarily strokes and myocardial infarctions. These benefits have been seen in controlled trials of antihypertensive drugs from a wide variety of pharmacologic classes including the class to which this drug principally belongs. There are no controlled trials demonstrating risk reduction with quinapril tablets, USP. Control of high blood pressure should be part of comprehensive cardiovascular risk management, including, as appropriate, lipid control, diabetes management, antithrombotic therapy, smoking cessation, exercise, and limited sodium intake. Many patients will require more than one drug to achieve blood pressure goals. For specific advice on goals and management, see published guidelines, such as those of the National High Blood Pressure Education Program's Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure (JNC). Numerous antihypertensive drugs, from a variety of pharmacologic classes and with different mechanisms of action, have been shown in randomized controlled trials to reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, and it can be concluded that it is blood pressure reduction, and not some other pharmacologic property of the drugs, that is largely responsible for those benefits. The largest and most consistent cardiovascular outcome benefit has been a reduction in the risk of stroke, but reductions in myocardial infarction and cardiovascular mortality also have been seen regularly. Elevated systolic or diastolic pressure causes increased cardiovascular risk, and the absolute risk increase per mmHg is greater at higher blood pressures, so that even modest reductions of severe hypertension can provide substantial benefit. Relative risk reduction from blood pressure reduction is similar across populations with varying absolute risk, so the absolute benefit is greater in patients who are at higher risk independent of their hypertension (for example, patients with diabetes or hyperlipidemia), and such patients would be expected to benefit from more aggressive treatment to a lower blood pressure goal. Some antihypertensive drugs have smaller blood pressure effects (as monotherapy) in black patients, and many antihypertensive drugs have additional approved indications and effects (e.g., on angina, heart failure, or diabetic kidney disease). These considerations may guide selection of therapy. Quinapril tablets, USP may be used alone or in combination with thiazide diuretics . Heart Failure Quinapril tablets, USP are indicated in the management of heart failure as adjunctive therapy when added to conventional therapy including diuretics and/or digitalis. In using quinapril tablets, USP consideration should be given to the fact that another ACE inhibitor, captopril, has caused agranulocytosis, particularly in patients with renal impairment or collagen vascular disease. Available data are insufficient to show that quinapril tablets, USP do not have a similar risk (see WARNINGS ). Angioedema in black patients: Black patients receiving ACE inhibitor monotherapy have been reported to have a higher incidence of angioedema compared to non-blacks. It should also be noted that in controlled clinical trials ACE inhibitors have an effect on blood pressure that is less in black patients than in non-blacks.

Quinapril tablets, USP are supplied as follows: Quinapril Tablets USP, 5 mg are brown colored, oval shaped film-coated tablets, debossed with “5” and “2” on either side of the scoreline on one side and “H” on the other side. Bottles of 30 NDC 65862-617-30 Bottles of 90 NDC 65862-617-90 Bottles of 1,000 NDC 65862-617-99 Bottles of 15,000 NDC 65862-617-55 Cartons of 100 (10 x 10) Unit-dose Tablets NDC 65862-617-78 Quinapril Tablets USP, 10 mg are brown colored, triangular shaped film-coated tablets, debossed with “53” on one side and “H” on the other side. Bottles of 30 NDC 65862-618-30 Bottles of 90 NDC 65862-618-90 Bottles of 1,000 NDC 65862-618-99 Bottles of 15,000 NDC 65862-618-55 Cartons of 100 (10 x 10) Unit-dose Tablets NDC 65862-618-78 Quinapril Tablets USP, 20 mg are brown colored, circular shaped film-coated tablets, debossed with “D” on one side and “16” on the other side. Bottles of 30 NDC 65862-619-30 Bottles of 90 NDC 65862-619-90 Bottles of 1,000 NDC 65862-619-99 Bottles of 10,000 NDC 65862-619-19 Cartons of 100 (10 x 10) Unit-dose Tablets NDC 65862-619-78 Quinapril Tablets USP, 40 mg are brown colored, oval shaped film-coated tablets, debossed with “D” on one side and “17” on the other side. Bottles of 30 NDC 65862-620-30 Bottles of 90 NDC 65862-620-90 Bottles of 1,000 NDC 65862-620-99 Bottles of 3,000 NDC 65862-620-39 Cartons of 100 (10 x 10) Unit-dose Tablets NDC 65862-620-78 Dispense in well-closed containers as defined in the USP. Store at 20° to 25°C (68° to 77°F) [see USP Controlled Room Temperature]. Protect from light. Distributed by: Aurobindo Pharma USA, Inc. 279 Princeton-Hightstown Road East Windsor, NJ 08520 Manufactured by: Aurobindo Pharma Limited Hyderabad-500 038, India Revised: 07/2020

Quinapril tablets are contraindicated in patients who are hypersensitive to this product and in patients with a history of angioedema related to previous treatment with an ACE inhibitor. Quinapril tablets are contraindicated in combination with a neprilysin inhibitor (e.g., sacubitril). Do not administer quinapril tablets are within 36 hours of switching to or from sacubitril/valsartan, a neprilysin inhibitor (see WARNINGS and PRECAUTIONS ). Do not co-administer quinapril tablets with aliskiren in patients with diabetes.

Anaphylactoid and Possibly Related Reactions Presumably because ACE inhibitors affect the metabolism of eicosanoids and polypeptides, including endogenous bradykinin, patients receiving ACE inhibitors (including quinapril hydrochloride ) may be subject to a variety of adverse reactions, some of them serious. Head and Neck Angioedema Angioedema of the face, extremities, lips, tongue, glottis, and larynx has been reported in patients treated with ACE inhibitors and has been seen in 0.1% of patients receiving quinapril hydrochloride. In two similarly sized U.S. postmarketing trials that, combined, enrolled over 3,000 black patients and over 19,000 non-blacks, angioedema was reported in 0.3% and 0.55% of blacks (in study 1 and 2 respectively) and 0.39% and 0.17% of non-blacks. Angioedema associated with laryngeal edema can be fatal. If laryngeal stridor or angioedema of the face, tongue, or glottis occurs, treatment with quinapril hydrochloride should be discontinued immediately, the patient treated in accordance with accepted medical care, and carefully observed until the swelling disappears. In instances where swelling is confined to the face and lips, the condition generally resolves without treatment; antihistamines may be useful in relieving symptoms. Where there is involvement of the tongue, glottis, or larynx likely to cause airway obstruction, emergency therapy including, but not limited to, subcutaneous epinephrine solution 1:1000 (0.3 to 0.5 mL) should be promptly administered (see ADVERSE REACTIONS ). Patients taking concomitant mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitor (e.g., temsirolimus) therapy or a neprilysin inhibitor may be at increased risk for angioedema. Intestinal Angioedema Intestinal angioedema has been reported in patients treated with ACE inhibitors. These patients presented with abdominal pain (with or without nausea or vomiting); in some cases there was no prior history of facial angioedema and C-1 esterase levels were normal. The angioedema was diagnosed by procedures including abdominal CT scan or ultrasound, or at surgery, and symptoms resolved after stopping the ACE inhibitor. Intestinal angioedema should be included in the differential diagnosis of patients on ACE inhibitors presenting with abdominal pain. Patients with a history of angioedema Patients with a history of angioedema unrelated to ACE inhibitor therapy may be at increased risk of angioedema while receiving an ACE inhibitor (see also CONTRAINDICATIONS ). Anaphylactoid reactions during desensitization Two patients undergoing desensitizing treatment with hymenoptera venom while receiving ACE inhibitors sustained life-threatening anaphylactoid reactions. In the same patients, these reactions were avoided when ACE inhibitors were temporarily withheld, but they reappeared upon inadvertent rechallenge. Anaphylactoid reactions during membrane exposure Anaphylactoid reactions have been reported in patients dialyzed with high-flux membranes and treated concomitantly with an ACE inhibitor. Anaphylactoid reactions have also been reported in patients undergoing low-density lipoprotein apheresis with dextran sulfate absorption. Hepatic Failure Rarely, ACE inhibitors have been associated with a syndrome that starts with cholestatic jaundice and progresses to fulminant hepatic necrosis and (sometimes) death. The mechanism of this syndrome is not understood. Patients receiving ACE inhibitors who develop jaundice or marked elevations of hepatic enzymes should discontinue the ACE inhibitor and receive appropriate medical follow-up. Hypotension Excessive hypotension is rare in patients with uncomplicated hypertension treated with quinapril hydrochloride alone. Patients with heart failure given quinapril hydrochloride commonly have some reduction in blood pressure, but discontinuation of therapy because of continuing symptomatic hypotension usually is not necessary when dosing instructions are followed. Caution should be observed when initiating therapy in patients with heart failure (see DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION ). In controlled studies, syncope was observed in 0.4% of patients (N=3203); this incidence was similar to that observed for captopril (1%) and enalapril (0.8%). Patients at risk of excessive hypotension, sometimes associated with oliguria and/or progressive azotemia, and rarely with acute renal failure and/or death, include patients with the following conditions or characteristics: heart failure, hyponatremia, high dose diuretic therapy, recent intensive diuresis or increase in diuretic dose, renal dialysis, or severe volume and/or salt depletion of any etiology. It may be advisable to eliminate the diuretic (except in patients with heart failure), reduce the diuretic dose or cautiously increase salt intake (except in patients with heart failure) before initiating therapy with quinapril hydrochloride in patients at risk for excessive hypotension who are able to tolerate such adjustments. In patients at risk of excessive hypotension, therapy with quinapril hydrochloride should be started under close medical supervision. Such patients should be followed closely for the first two weeks of treatment and whenever the dose of quinapril hydrochloride and/or diuretic is increased. Similar considerations may apply to patients with ischemic heart or cerebrovascular disease in whom an excessive fall in blood pressure could result in a myocardial infarction or a cerebrovascular accident. If excessive hypotension occurs, the patient should be placed in the supine position and, if necessary, receive an intravenous infusion of normal saline. A transient hypotensive response is not a contraindication to further doses of quinapril hydrochloride, which usually can be given without difficulty once the blood pressure has stabilized. If symptomatic hypotension develops, a dose reduction or discontinuation of quinapril hydrochloride or concomitant diuretic may be necessary. …

Hypertension Quinapril hydrochloride has been evaluated for safety in 4960 subjects and patients. Of these, 3203 patients, including 655 elderly patients, participated in controlled clinical trials. Quinapril hydrochloride has been evaluated for long-term safety in over 1400 patients treated for 1 year or more. Adverse experiences were usually mild and transient. In placebo-controlled trials, discontinuation of therapy because of adverse events was required in 4.7% of patients with hypertension. Adverse experiences probably or possibly related to therapy or of unknown relationship to therapy occurring in 1% or more of the 1563 patients in placebo-controlled hypertension trials who were treated with quinapril hydrochloride are shown below. …

Concomitant diuretic therapy As with other ACE inhibitors, patients on diuretics, especially those on recently instituted diuretic therapy, may occasionally experience an excessive reduction of blood pressure after initiation of therapy with quinapril hydrochloride. The possibility of hypotensive effects with quinapril hydrochloride may be minimized by either discontinuing the diuretic or cautiously increasing salt intake prior to initiation of treatment with quinapril hydrochloride. If it is not possible to discontinue the diuretic, the starting dose of quinapril should be reduced (see DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION ). Agents increasing serum potassium Coadministration of quinapril hydrochloride with other drugs that raise serum potassium levels may result in hyperkalemia. Monitor serum potassium in such patients. …