Quinapril

INDICATIONS AND USAGE Hypertension Quinapril tablets 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. 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 may be used alone or in combination with thiazide diuretics. Heart Failure Quinapril tablets 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, consideration should be given to the fact that another angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor, captopril, has caused agranulocytosis, particularly in patients with renal impairment or collagen vascular disease. Available data are insufficient to show that quinapril tablets 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.

DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION Hypertension Monotherapy: The recommended initial dosage of quinapril in patients not on diuretics is 10 or 20 mg once daily. Dosage should be adjusted according to blood pressure response measured at peak (2–6 hours after dosing) and trough (predosing). Generally, dosage adjustments should be made at intervals of at least 2 weeks. Most patients have required dosages of 20, 40, or 80 mg/day, given as a single dose or in two equally 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 may be warranted. In general, doses of 40–80 mg and divided doses give a somewhat greater effect at the end of the dosing interval. Concomitant Diuretics: If blood pressure is not adequately controlled with quinapril monotherapy, a diuretic may be added. In patients who are currently being treated with a diuretic, symptomatic hypotension occasionally can occur following the initial dose of quinapril. To reduce the likelihood of hypotension, the diuretic should, if possible, be discontinued 2 to 3 days prior to beginning therapy with quinapril (see WARNINGS ). Then, if blood pressure is not controlled with quinapril alone, diuretic therapy should be resumed. If the diuretic cannot be discontinued, an initial dose of 5 mg quinapril should be used with careful medical supervision for several hours and until blood pressure has stabilized. The dosage should subsequently be titrated (as described above) to the optimal response (see WARNINGS , PRECAUTIONS , and Drug Interactions ). Renal Impairment: Kinetic data indicate that the apparent elimination half-life of quinaprilat increases as creatinine clearance decreases. Recommended starting doses, based on clinical and pharmacokinetic data from patients with renal impairment, are as follows: Creatinine Clearance Maximum RecommendedInitial Dose >60 mL/min 10 mg 30–60 mL/min 5 mg 10–30 mL/min 2.5 mg <10 mL/min Insufficient data for dosage recommendation Patients should subsequently have their dosage titrated (as described above) to the optimal response. Elderly (≥65 years): The recommended initial dosage of quinapril in elderly patients is 10 mg given once daily followed by titration (as described above) to the optimal response. Heart Failure Quinapril is indicated as adjunctive therapy when added to conventional therapy including diuretics and/or digitalis. The recommended starting dose is 5 mg twice daily. This dose may improve symptoms of heart failure, but increases in exercise duration have generally required higher doses. Therefore, if the initial dosage of quinapril is well tolerated, patients should then be titrated at weekly intervals until an effective dose, usually 20 to 40 mg daily given in two equally divided doses, is reached or undesirable hypotension, orthostatis, or azotemia (see WARNINGS ) prohibit reaching this dose. Following the initial dose of quinapril, the patient should be observed under medical supervision for at least two hours for the presence of hypotension or orthostatis and, if present, until blood pressure stabilizes. The appearance of hypotension, orthostatis, or azotemia early in dose titration should not preclude further careful dose titration. Consideration should be given to reducing the dose of concomitant diuretics. DOSE ADJUSTMENTS IN PATIENTS WITH HEART FAILURE AND RENAL IMPAIRMENT OR HYPONATREMIA Pharmacokinetic data indicate that quinapril elimination is dependent on level of renal function. In patients with heart failure and renal impairment, the recommended initial dose of quinapril is 5 mg in patients with a creatinine clearance above 30 mL/min and 2.5 mg in patients with a creatinine clearance of 10 to 30 mL/min. There is insufficient data for dosage recommendation in patients with a creatinine clearance less than 10 mL/min (see DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION , Heart Failure , WARNINGS , and PRECAUTIONS , Drug Interactions ). If the initial dose is well tolerated, quinapril may be administered the following day as a twice daily regimen. In the absence of excessive hypotension or significant deterioration of renal function, the dose may be increased at weekly intervals based on clinical and hemodynamic response.

ADVERSE REACTIONS Hypertension Quinapril has been evaluated for safety in 4960 subjects and patients. Of these, 3203 patients, including 655 elderly patients, participated in controlled clinical trials. Quinapril 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 are shown below. Adverse Events in Placebo-Controlled Trials Quinapril Placebo (N=1563) (N=579) Incidence Incidence (Discontinuance) (Discontinuance) Headache 5.6 (0.7) 10.9 (0.7) Dizziness 3.9 (0.8) 2.6 (0.2) Fatigue 2.6 (0.3) 1.0 Coughing 2.0 (0.5) 0.0 Nausea and/or Vomiting 1.4 (0.3) 1.9 (0.2) Abdominal Pain 1.0 (0.2) 0.7 Heart Failure Quinapril has been evaluated for safety in 1222 quinapril treated patients. Of these, 632 patients participated in controlled clinical trials. In placebo-controlled trials, discontinuation of therapy because of adverse events was required in 6.8% of patients with congestive heart failure. Adverse experiences probably or possibly related or of unknown relationship to therapy occurring in 1% or more of the 585 patients in placebo-controlled congestive heart failure trials who were treated with quinapril are shown below. Quinapril Placebo (N=585) (N=295) Incidence Incidence (Discontinuance) (Discontinuance) Dizziness 7.7 (0.7) 5.1 (1.0) Coughing 4.3 (0.3) 1.4 Fatigue 2.6 (0.2) 1.4 Nausea and/or Vomiting 2.4 (0.2) 0.7 Chest Pain 2.4 1.0 Hypotension 2.9 (0.5) 1.0 Dyspnea 1.9 (0.2) 2.0 Diarrhea 1.7 1.0 Headache 1.7 1.0 (0.3) Myalgia 1.5 2.0 Rash 1.4 (0.2) 1.0 Back Pain 1.2 0.3 See PRECAUTIONS, Cough . Hypertension and/or Heart Failure Clinical adverse experiences probably, possibly, or definitely related, or of uncertain relationship to therapy occurring in 0.5% to 1.0% (except as noted) of the patients with CHF or hypertension treated with quinapril (with or without concomitant diuretic) in controlled or uncontrolled trials (N=4847) and less frequent, clinically significant events seen in clinical trials or post-marketing experience (the rarer events are in italics) include (listed by body system): General : back pain, malaise, viral infections, anaphylactoid reaction Cardiovascular : palpitation, vasodilation, tachycardia, heart failure, hyperkalemia, myocardial infarction, cerebrovascular accident, hypertensive crisis, angina pectoris, orthostatic hypotension, cardiac rhythm disturbances, cardiogenic shock Hematology : hemolytic anemia Gastrointestinal : flatulence, dry mouth or throat, constipation, gastrointestinal hemorrhage, pancreatitis, abnormal liver function tests, dyspepsia Metabolism and Nutrition Disorders : hyponatremia Nervous/Psychiatric : somnolence, vertigo, syncope, nervousness, depression, insomnia, paresthesia Integumentary : alopecia, increased sweating, pemphigus, pruritus, exfoliative dermatitis, photosensitivity reaction, dermatopolymyositis Urogenital : urinary tract infection, impotence, acute renal failure, worsening renal failure Respiratory : eosinophilic pneumonitis Other : amblyopia, edema, arthralgia, pharyngitis, agranulocytosis, hepatitis, thrombocytopenia Angioedema Angioedema has been reported in patients receiving quinapril (0.1%). Angioedema associated with laryngeal edema may be fatal. If angioedema of the face, extremities, lips, tongue, glottis, and/or larynx occurs, treatment with quinapril should be discontinued and appropriate therapy instituted immediately. (See WARNINGS .) Clinical Laboratory Test Findings Hematology : (See WARNINGS ) Hyperkalemia : (See PRECAUTIONS ) Creatinine and Blood Urea Nitrogen : Increases (>1.25 times the upper limit of normal) in serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen were observed in 2% and 2%, respectively, of all patients treated with quinapril alone. Increases are more likely to occur in patients receiving concomitant diuretic therapy than in those on quinapril alone. These increases often remit on continued therapy. In controlled studies of heart failure, increases in blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine were observed in 11% and 8%, respectively, of patients treated with quinapril; most often these patients were receiving diuretics with or without digitalis.