Drug name: Enap

Other names used:

• Vasote®

Active Ingredients:

• Enalapril

Therapeutic action of Enap: Enalapril belongs to a group of substances known as ACE inhibitors (angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors) and is predominately used for treating hypertension. Angiotensin-converting enzyme plays a key role in the contraction of the muscular wall of the blood vessels and Enalapril by blocking this enzyme relaxes the blood vessels and improves the flow of the blood. By relaxing the muscles and enabling the free flow of blood Enalapril reduces blood pressure and also reduces the burden on the heart.

Indications: Enap is used for treating:

• Hypertension
• Heart failure (HF)
• LV Dysfunction (left ventricular dysfunction)

Precautions and Restrictions: If you have the following conditions please consult a doctor before taking the medicines:

• Heart related ailments such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, aortic stenosis, heart failure etc.
• Autoimmune disorder like Systemic lupus erythematosus
• Diabetes
• Various disorders of the kidney
• Problems related to liver such as cirrhosis
• Connective tissue disease like Scleroderma
• Previous history of angioedema (swelling beneath the skin)
• Intolerance or allergy to ACE inhibitors or similar substances

Also, let your local healthcare provider know if you:

• undergoing dialysis
• pregnant or planning to become pregnant
• about to undergo surgery
• breast feeding

Important information:

• People using ACE inhibitors can experience allergic reactions, especially if a person is doing dialysis. Some of the symptoms of allergic reactions are rashes, shortness of breath and swelling of the throat and face. Users of ACE inhibitors may also experience swelling beneath the skin of the neck, head, throat, eyes and tongue. Users of ACE inhibitors may also experience angioedema of the intestine. Pain in the stomach sometimes accompanied by vomiting is one of the symptoms of intestinal angioedema. If you experience any of these symptoms contact your doctor at once.
• Users of Enap may experience hypotension, especially if a person is using diuretics, has vomiting and diarrhea and perspires a lot. So users of Enap tablets should drink lots of water.
• It is not advisable to take Enap tablets during pregnancy. This drug is placed in the C category for first trimester by FDA and in D category for second and third trimester. Hence it is best to talk to your doctor before using Enap, and if you become pregnant while taking Enap tablets contact your doctor immediately.
• Enap tablets may cause serious kidney problems, especially if a person had a heart failure. So if you experience certain symptoms such as headache, low urine output please check your kidney function at once.
• There are no reports to show that Enap passes to mother's milk. But if you are a breast feeding mother please consult your physician before taking the tablets.

Side effects of Enap: Below mentioned are some of the adverse reactions that users of Enap tablets may experience:

• Unsteadiness
• Rashes
• Weakness
• Cough

Talk to a doctor if you experience the below mentioned uncommon side effects:

• Dizziness
• Harsh, raspy or strained voice
• Syncope
• Yellowing of the eyes and skin
• Shortness of breath
• Dysphagia
• Cold, sore throat, fever and other symptoms of infection
• Swelling in different parts of the body

There is no concrete proof that everyone using this drug will experience these side effects. For an exhaustive list of all the side effects caused by Enap tablets, it's best to consult a doctor or pharmacist or the report supplied by the manufacturer of this drug.

Interactions: Enap tablets may react with other medicines hence it's very important to consult a doctor and apprise him of the treatment or medication you are using. Get a prescription from your doctor before starting any new drug. It's important to tell your physician if you're already under medication to make sure that the combination of the two drugs is safe.

Especially pay attention to the following drugs:

• Potassium supplements
• Drugs that promote the formation of urine (Diuretics) such as furosemide, furosemide, hydrochlorothiazide, torsemide
• Lithium preparations such as Lithonate, Lithane, Lithotabs, Eskalith
• Diuretics that do not promote the secretion of potassium into the urine (Potassium-sparing Diuretic medicine) such as amiloride, spironolactone and triamterene
• NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) such as diclofenac, ketorolac, meloxicam, celecoxib etc.

Additional Information: Medicines and certain medical equipments should not be used without prior approval of a doctor and don't share these drugs with anybody else. Enap tablets are made for specific conditions and it's not advisable to use them for other purposes. Keep medicinal drugs, needles, syringes and other such medical substances out of the reach of children.