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The name of your medicine is APO-Ramipril. It contains the active ingredient, ramipril.
Ramipril belongs to a group of medicines called angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE)
inhibitors.
Ramipril is used to treat:
high blood pressure (hypertension)
some heart conditions, such as heart failure after a heart attack
kidney problems in some patients
Ramipril is also used to reduce the risk of cardiovascular problems and complications
in patients aged 55 years or more with heart or blood vessel disease, or diabetes.
High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)
Ramipril is used to lower high blood pressure (hypertension). Everyone has blood pressure.
This pressure helps get your blood all around your body. Your blood pressure may be
different at different times of the day and can be influenced by how busy or worried
you are. You have high blood pressure when your blood pressure stays higher than is
needed, even when you are calm and relaxed.
There are usually no symptoms of high blood pressure. The only way of knowing that
you have high blood pressure is to have your blood pressure checked on a regular basis.
If high blood pressure is not treated it can lead to serious health problems, including
stroke, heart disease and kidney failure.
Heart Failure after a Heart Attack
Ramipril may be used after a heart attack. A heart attack occurs when one of the major
blood vessels supplying blood to your heart becomes blocked. This means that your
heart muscle cannot receive the oxygen it needs and becomes damaged. This may lead
to further problems, such as heart failure, irregular heart rhythms and blood clots.
Heart failure means that the heart muscle is weak and cannot pump blood strongly enough
to supply all the blood needed throughout the body. Heart failure is not the same
as heart attack and does not mean that the heart stops. Heart failure may start off
with no symptoms, but as the condition progresses, patients may feel short of breath
or may get tired easily after light physical activity, such as walking. Some patients
may wake up short of breath at night. Fluid may collect in different parts of the
body, often first noticed as swollen ankles and feet.
Kidney Problems
Ramipril may be used to treat some kidney problems. Some conditions, such as diabetes
and high blood pressure, can lead to kidney problems. These problems develop slowly
over several years. Good control of your blood sugar and blood pressure are important
in keeping your kidneys healthy but may not always prevent kidney damage from occurring.
Prevention of Cardiovascular Problems and Complications
Ramipril may be used to reduce the risk of some of the problems and complications
that may arise in patients aged 55 years or more who have problems such as coronary
artery disease (heart disease caused by poor blood flow in the blood vessels of the
heart), peripheral vascular disease (poor circulation in the hands or feet) or stroke.
Patients with Diabetes
Ramipril may also be used to reduce the risk of cardiovascular problems and complications
in patients with diabetes aged 55 years or more who may be considered at risk because
they have one or more additional risk factors (e.g. high blood pressure, high cholesterol
levels, kidney problems, a current smoker or previous disease of the blood vessels).
How it works
Ramipril works by widening the blood vessels, which then reduces the pressure in the
vessels, making it easier for your heart to pump blood around your body. This helps
increase the supply of oxygen to your heart, so that when you place extra demands
on your heart (such as during exercise), your heart may cope better, and you may not
get short of breath as easily.
By increasing the supply of oxygen to your heart, your heart does not have to work
as hard and it is under less stress, which may reduce the risk of further damage occurring
to it following a heart attack.
Ramipril also improves blood flow through the small blood vessels found in the kidneys,
which helps the kidneys to work more efficiently. This in turn can help to slow down
the progression of kidney damage that might result from having diabetes or high blood
pressure.
Ask your doctor if you have any questions about why this medicine has been prescribed
for you.
Your doctor may have prescribed it for another reason.
This medicine is available only with a doctor's prescription.
There is no evidence that this medicine is addictive.
Use in children
This medicine should not be used in children.
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