Inhibace Plus Consumer Medicine Information

Cilazapril 5 mg + hydrochlorothiazide 12.5 mg tablet

What is in this leaflet

This leaflet answers some common questions about INHIBACE PLUS tablets.

It does not contain all the available information.

It does not take the place of talking to your doctor or pharmacist.

All medicines have risks and benefits. Your doctor has weighed the risks of you taking INHIBACE PLUS against the benefits expected for you.

If you have any concerns about taking this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

Keep this leaflet with the medicine.

You may need to read it again.

What INHIBACE PLUS is used for

INHIBACE PLUS contains two active ingredients, cilazapril and hydrochlorothiazide.

Cilazapril belongs to a group of medicines known as ACE (Angiotensin Converting Enzyme) inhibitors. Hydrochlorothiazide belongs to a group of medicines known as thiazide diuretics.

Cilazapril and hydrochlorothiazide are both used to treat raised blood pressure. When used in combination they are more effective at lowering blood pressure than either medicine used alone.

Cilazapril works by inhibiting (blocking) natural chemicals produced by the body which cause raised blood pressure. This inhibition leads to reduction of blood pressure. When given together with diuretics (fluid tablets) this helps to reduce the blood pressure further.

Your doctor, however, may have prescribed INHIBACE PLUS for another purpose.

Ask your doctor if you have any questions about why INHIBACE PLUS has been prescribed for you.

This medicine is available only with a doctor's prescription.

Before you take INHIBACE PLUS

When you must not take it

Do not take INHIBACE PLUS if:

  1. you are allergic to cilazapril or other blood pressure medicines of the same class (called ACE inhibitors)
  2. you are allergic to hydrochlorothiazide, other thiazides or any other sulphur containing medicines
  3. you are allergic to any of the ingredients listed at the end of this leaflet
  4. you are pregnant
    Your baby may absorb this medicine in the womb and therefore there is a possibility of harm to the baby.
  5. you have previously suffered from angioedema (swelling of the face, lips, mouth, tongue or throat which may cause difficulty in swallowing or breathing), when taking other ACE inhibitors
  6. you have difficulty making or passing urine (anuria)
  7. the package is torn or shows signs of tampering
  8. the expiry date printed on the pack has passed.
    If you take this medicine after the expiry date has passed, it may not work as well.
    9.

If you are not sure if you should be taking INHIBACE PLUS, talk to your doctor.

Use in children

Safety and effectiveness in children have not been established. INHIBACE PLUS is not recommended for use in children.

Before you start to take it

Tell you doctor if:

  1. you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant
    You should not take INHIBACE PLUS if you are pregnant.
  2. you are breast-feeding or plan to breast-feed
    It is not known whether INHIBACE PLUS passes into breast milk. Your doctor will discuss the risks and benefits of using INHIBACE PLUS if you are breast-feeding.
  3. you have any other health problems, especially the following:
    • liver disease
    • kidney disease
    • a heart condition
    • a blood vessel disorder
    • diabetes
    • gout
  4. you are on a restricted salt diet
  5. you are currently on haemodialysis or haemofiltration
  6. you are allergic to any other medicines, foods, dyes or preservatives
  7. you plan to have surgery (including dental surgery)
    Tell your doctor if you are about to have any form of operation that requires an anaesthetic.
    8.

If you have not told your doctor about any of the above, tell them before you start taking INHIBACE PLUS.

Taking other medicines

Tell your doctor if you are taking any other medicines, including any that you have bought from a pharmacy, supermarket or health food shop.

Some medicines may interfere with INHIBACE PLUS. These medicines include:

  • non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents (used for the relief of pain e.g. aspirin, ibuprofen, diclofenac, naproxen)
  • potassium-sparing diuretics e.g. amiloride (Midamor®), amiloride/hydrochlorothiazide (Amizide®), amiloride/frusemide (Frumil®), triamterene/hydrochlorothiazide (Triamizide®), spironolactone (Aldactone®, Spirotone®)
  • potassium supplements or potassium-containing salt substitutes
  • lithium (Lithicarb®, Priadel®)
  • antidiabetic medicines (used for lowering blood sugar in diabetes)
  • desensitisation therapy with wasp or bee venom
  • These medicines may be affected by INHIBACE PLUS, or may affect how well it works. You may need to use different amounts of your medicine, or you may need to take different medicines. Your doctor will advise you.

Your doctor or pharmacist may have more information on medicines to be careful with or avoid while taking INHIBACE PLUS.

Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure about this list of medicines.

How to take INHIBACE PLUS

Follow all directions given to you by your doctor or pharmacist carefully.

They may differ from the information contained in this leaflet.

How much to take

Take INHIBACE PLUS tablets exactly as your doctor has prescribed.

Your doctor will tell you how many INHIBACE PLUS tablets to take each day.

The usual dose of INHIBACE PLUS is one tablet taken once daily.

How to take it

Swallow the tablet whole with a glass of water.

Do not chew the tablets.

When to take it

Take INHIBACE PLUS tablets at about the same time every day.

It does not matter whether you take INHIBACE PLUS tablets with food or not. Taking your medicine at the same time each day will have the best effect. It will also help you remember when to take the tablets.

How long to take it

Continue taking INHIBACE PLUS tablets until your doctor tells you to stop.

If you forget to take it

Do not take two doses on the same day.

If you remember your INHIBACE PLUS dose later on in the day you are meant to have taken it, then take the dose.

If you remember the next day, skip the missed dose and take your next dose when you are meant to.

If you are not sure what to do, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

If you have trouble remembering your dose, ask your pharmacist for some hints.

In case of an overdose

Immediately telephone your doctor or the National Poisons Information Centre (telephone 0800 POISON or 0800 764 766) for advice or go to your nearest Accident and Emergency Centre if you think that you or anyone else may have taken too much INHIBACE PLUS. Do this even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning.

You may need urgent medical attention.

Keep telephone numbers for these places handy.

If you are not sure what to do, contact your doctor or pharmacist.

While you are taking INHIBACE PLUS

Things you must do

Tell all doctors, dentists and pharmacists who are treating you that you are taking INHIBACE PLUS.

Tell your doctor if you become pregnant while taking INHIBACE PLUS.

Tell your doctor that you are taking INHIBACE PLUS if you are going to have any laboratory tests.

Tell your doctor if, for any reason, you have not taken your medicine exactly as prescribed.

Otherwise, your doctor may think that it was not effective and change your treatment unnecessarily.

Tell your doctor if you feel that the tablets are not helping your condition.

Be sure to keep all of your appointments with your doctor so that your progress can be checked.

Things you must not do

Do not stop taking INHIBACE PLUS tablets or change the dose without first checking with your doctor.

Do not let yourself run out of medicine over the weekend or on holidays.

Do not give INHIBACE PLUS tablets to anyone else even if they have the same condition as you.

Do not use INHIBACE PLUS to treat other complaints unless your doctor says to.

Do not take any other medicines whether they require a prescription or not without first telling your doctor or consulting a pharmacist.

Things to be careful of

Be careful driving or operating machinery until you know how INHIBACE PLUS affects you.

As with many other medicines used to treat high blood pressure, INHIBACE PLUS may cause dizziness, drowsiness or light-headedness in some people. Make sure you know how you react to INHIBACE PLUS before you drive a car, operate machinery or do anything else that could be dangerous if you are dizzy, drowsy or light-headed. If you drink alcohol, dizziness, drowsiness or light-headedness may be worse.

Side effects

Tell your doctor or pharmacist as soon as possible if you do not feel well while you are taking INHIBACE PLUS.

INHIBACE PLUS helps most people with high blood pressure but it may have unwanted side effects in some people.

All medicines can have side effects. Sometimes they are serious, most of the time they are not. You may need medical treatment if you get some of the side effects.

Ask your doctor or pharmacist to answer any questions you may have.

Tell your doctor if you notice any of the following and they worry you:

  • headache
  • dizziness
  • tiredness
  • cough

These are the more common side effects of INHIBACE PLUS. Mostly these are mild and some may decrease as you get used to your medicine.

Tell your doctor immediately or go to your nearest Accident and Emergency Centre if you notice any of the following:

  • your face, lips, tongue and/or throat become swollen
  • you develop a persistent pain in the abdomen
  • symptoms of serious kidney failure, which may include passing little or no urine, drowsiness, nausea, vomiting and/or breathlessness

These are serious side effects. You may need urgent medical attention. Serious side effects are rare.

This is not a complete list of all possible side effects. Others may occur in some people and there may be some side effects not yet known.

Tell your doctor if you notice anything else that is making you feel unwell, even if it is not on this list.

Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you don't understand anything on this list.

Do not be alarmed by this list of possible side effects. You may not experience any of them.

After taking INHIBACE PLUS

Storage

Keep your tablets in the blister pack until it is time to take them.

If you take the tablets out of the blister pack they may not keep well.

Keep INHIBACE PLUS in a cool dry place where the temperature stays below 25°C.

Do not store it, or any other medicine in a bathroom or near a sink.

Do not leave it in the car or on window sills.

Heat and dampness can destroy some medicines.

Keep INHIBACE PLUS where young children cannot reach it.

A locked cupboard at least one-and-a-half metres above the ground is a good place to store medicines.

Disposal

If your doctor tells you to stop taking INHIBACE PLUS, or the tablets have passed their expiry date, ask your pharmacist what to do with any tablets that are left over.

Product description

Availability

INHIBACE PLUS 5/12.5 mg tablets come in packs of 28.

What INHIBACE PLUS looks like

INHIBACE PLUS tablets are oval, scored and reddish-brown to brown in colour.

Ingredients

Active ingredients

Each tablet of INHIBACE PLUS contains 5 mg of cilazapril and 12.5 mg of hydrochlorothiazide.

Inactive ingredients

  • Lactose, maize starch, methylhydroxypropyl cellulose, talc, sodium stearyl fumarate, titanium dioxide, red iron oxide.

This leaflet was prepared 25 May 2004.