Last Updated on March 16, 2024
Unfortunately, benazepril is not available over the counter in the UK. It is a prescription-only medication that can only be obtained with a valid prescription from a licensed healthcare provider. Benazepril is an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor that is commonly used to treat high blood pressure. It works by relaxing the blood vessels, which makes it easier for the heart to pump blood throughout the body.
If you need benazepril for your high blood pressure, you will need to make an appointment with a doctor or healthcare provider to obtain a prescription. During your appointment, your healthcare provider will assess your medical history and current condition to determine if benazepril is a suitable treatment for you. If so, they will write you a prescription that you can take to a licensed pharmacy to have filled.
It is important to always use benazepril as directed by your healthcare provider and to attend any necessary follow-up appointments to monitor your blood pressure and ensure the medication is working as intended. Do not attempt to obtain benazepril over the counter or use it without first consulting with a licensed healthcare provider.
What is benazepril?
Benazepril is an ACE inhibitor. It is used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension) and heart failure (congestive heart failure). As with other antihypertensives, increases in the active ingredient lead to dizziness, weakness, and discomfort upon initiation of therapy. Here you can read everything worth knowing about Benazepril: action, use and side effects
How does benazepril works?
One of the most important blood pressure regulating systems in the human body is the renin-angiotensin system (RAAS). It is a complex structure that controls and finely regulates blood pressure. This is vital because too high a blood pressure can damage organs, and too low a blood pressure can deprive tissues of oxygen and nutrients.
The central site for blood pressure regulation in the kidneys is the RAAS: when blood flow decreases, the kidneys release an enzyme called renin. Renin triggers the production of the hormone angiotensin I from a precursor. Angiotensin I is then converted into another chemical messenger, angiotensin II, by an enzyme called angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE), which is found in the lungs and kidneys. This can raise blood pressure by constricting blood vessels and reducing water and salt excretion in the kidneys.
ACE inhibitors like benazepril block the ACE enzyme. This prevents an increase in blood pressure. It is desirable and necessary for people with high blood pressure: Persistent high blood pressure (over 140/90 mmHg) damages the blood vessels. This can have serious consequences, including stroke, heart failure, and serious damage to the eyes and kidneys.
Even with heart failure, lowering blood pressure makes sense because it takes the strain off the heart.
Pharmacokinetics and metabolism of Benazepril
Once absorbed, the drug quickly passes through the intestines and into the blood, where it reaches peak levels after 30 minutes. Since benazepril is a precursor of the active ingredient benazeprilat, the drug must first be activated in the liver. The active drug reaches its highest blood level after 90 minutes. After ten to eleven hours, half of the active drug is excreted or metabolized to inactive drug. Excretion occurs primarily through the kidneys in the urine.
When is Benazepril used?
The active ingredient Benazepril is approved for the treatment of:
- essential hypertension (without apparent cause)
- heart failure (congestive heart failure)
In more severe cases of heart failure, benazepril is usually combined with diuretics or digitalis.
The taking Benazepril must be long term, as the drug improves the symptoms but does not cure the underlying disease.
How Benazepril is taken?
The ACE inhibitor Benazepril is taken as a tablet in the morning with or without food. In hypertension, treatment is usually started with a loading dose of ten milligrams of Benazepril. The dosage may then be gradually increased up to 40 milligrams. In heart failure, the initial and maximum dose are lower (at 2.5 milligrams or 20 milligrams). Was the blood pressure remained stable with the drug for some time, will be switched to a maintenance dose of usually ten milligrams of Benazepril.
Any salt or volume depletion should be corrected prior to initiation of treatment, otherwise the drop in blood pressure at the start of therapy may vary excessively.
Can not Benazepril reduced in the high-dose blood pressure sufficiently, most patients will also receive other blood pressure medications.
What are the side effects Benazepril?
At the beginning of therapy with Benazepril leads to weakness and often, especially when getting up from a sitting or lying position. The reason is that the patient has to get used to the unusual low, but normal blood pressure.
With a ten to one hundred Benazepril patients develop renal dysfunction, an inflammation of the bronchi, dry cough, nausea, indigestion, fatigue and altered blood values. Especially the dry cough should be communicated to the physician, since this may be a sign that Benazepril is not tolerated.
What should I watch for while taking Benazepril?
The active ingredient Benazepril may cause interactions in combination with other active ingredients, although such preparations to a different time of day to be taken.
Other antihypertensives, and drugs that reduce only as a side effect of blood pressure (such as antidepressants, anti-angina and alcohol), the effect of Benazepril may increase unpredictably.
So-called NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory) may reduce the effect of Benazepril. In addition, they may increase the nephrotoxic side effects. NSAIDs are painkillers and anti-inflammatories, which are applied as in rheumatism, inflammation and general pain (such as headaches). It belong to, for example, aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid), Diclofenac, Indomethacin and Naproxen.
In the simultaneous intake of drugs that affect potassium levels, this should be closely monitored. Examples include potassium supplements, some drainage means (Spironolactone, eplerenone, amiloride, triamterene) and the anticoagulant heparin.
Some active ingredients can change (as a side effect) the blood picture, such as the white blood cell count. Combined with Benazepril may increase the likelihood for it. Such agents include anti-cancer agents, immunosuppressive agents (drugs that suppress the immune system), glucocorticoids (“cortisone”) and gout remedies.
By Benazepril the hypoglycemic effect of diabetes medications may increase (oral glucose-lowering drugs and insulin blood). At the beginning of Benazepril therapy Diabetics should therefore increasingly measure their blood sugar levels.
pregnant, nursing mothers and children should not be treated with antihypertensives Benazepril.
How to get Benazepril
The active ingredient is Benazepril in any dose prescription and over the counter. One gets it therefore only with a doctor’s prescription in the pharmacy.
History of benazepril on the market
The ACE inhibitor benazepril is an evolution of the first ACE inhibitor, captopril. Captopril is a chemical derivative of a substance found in the poison of the Brazilian Bothrops jararaca. Unlike captopril, benazepril has a longer duration of action in the body and does not cause taste disturbances. Products containing benazepril were registered in Germany in 1996.