Innozide

What is it?

An antihypertensive preparation combining an ACE inhibitor and thiazide diuretic available as scored, yellow tablets containing 20mg enalapril maleate and 12.5mg hydrochlorothiazide marked MSD 718.

Medical Uses

Mild to moderate high blood pressure in patients who have become accustomed to the same components taken individually.

Dosage

Adults, 1 tablet each day with a maximum of 2 if needed. Other diuretics should be discontinued 2 to 3 days before treatment starts.

Special Care

Electrolytes (salts) or fluid imbalance, kidney or liver disease, stenosis (narrowing) of renal artery, heart disease or disease of the blood vessels of the brain, kidney dialysis with high flux membranes, gout, diabetes, undergoing anaesthesia. Patients undergoing desensitisation or apheresis (a procedure in which blood is temporarily drawn off so that components can be selectively removed before it is reinfused) should have ACE inhibitor stopped before the procedure is carried out.

Avoid Use

Children, pregnancy, breastfeeding, angioneurotic oedema (a condition in which there is widespread swelling) resulting from previous treatment with ACE inhibitor, anuria (absence of urination).

Possible Drug and Food Interactions

Hypoglycaemics, ACTH, tubocurarine, corticosteroids, potassium supplements, potassium-sparing diuretics, NSAIDs, central nervous system depressants, lithium, sympathomimetic amines, narcotic analgesics, barbiturates, allopurinol, alcohol, cyclosporin, phenothiazines, procainamide, antacids, cytostatics.

Known Side Effects

Cough, tiredness, headache, skin rash, cramps, low blood pressure, pain in chest, dizziness, weakness, kidney failure, impotence, pancreatitis, angioneurotic oedema (widespread swelling) - drug should be immediately stopped. In extremely rare cases, anaphylaxis during desensitisation with wasp or bee venom or during apheresis (a procedure in which blood is temporarily drawn off so that components can be removed before it is reinfused).