trandolapril and verapamil

Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy. Trandolapril and verapamil could cause birth defects in the baby if you take the medication during pregnancy. Use an effective form of birth control. Stop using this medication and tell your doctor right away if you become pregnant during treatment.

Do not use salt substitutes or potassium supplements while taking trandolapril and verapamil, unless your doctor has told you to.

Vomiting, diarrhea, or heavy sweating can cause you to become dehydrated. This can lead to very low blood pressure, electrolyte disorders, or kidney failure while you are taking trandolapril and verapamil. Drink plenty of water each day while you are taking this medication.

Keep using this medicine as directed, even if you feel well. High blood pressure often has no symptoms, so you may not know when your blood pressure is high. You may need to use blood pressure medication for the rest of your life.

Trandolapril and verapamil is in a group of drugs called ACE inhibitors. ACE stands for angiotensin converting enzyme.

Verapamil is in a group of drugs called calcium channel blockers. It works by relaxing the muscles of your heart and blood vessels.

The combination of trandolapril and verapamil is used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension).

Trandolapril and verapamil may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.

You should not use this medication if you are allergic to trandolapril (Mavik) or verapamil (Calan, Covera, Isoptin, Verelan), or if you have:

• certain heart conditions, especially "sick sinus syndrome" or "AV block" (unless you have a pacemaker);
• a heart rhythm disorder;
• low blood pressure; or
• if you are allergic to any other ACE inhibitor, such as benazepril (Lotensin), captopril (Capoten), fosinopril (Monopril), enalapril (Vasotec), lisinopril (Prinivil, Zestril), moexipril (Univasc), perindopril (Aceon), quinapril (Accupril), or ramipril (Altace).

Before using trandolapril and verapamil, tell your doctor if you have:

• kidney disease (or if you are on dialysis);
• liver disease;
• congestive heart failure;
• diabetes; or
• a nerve-muscle disease such as muscular dystrophy.

If you have any of these conditions, you may need a dose adjustment or special tests to safely take this medication.

FDA pregnancy category D. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy. Trandolapril and verapamil could cause birth defects in the baby if you take the medication during pregnancy. Use an effective form of birth control. Stop using this medication and tell your doctor right away if you become pregnant during treatment.

Trandolapril and verapamil can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

Take this medication exactly as it was prescribed for you. Do not take the medication in larger amounts, or take it for longer than recommended by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label.

Your doctor may occasionally change your dose to make sure you get the best results from this medication.

Trandolapril and verapamil works best if you take it with food.

Vomiting, diarrhea, or heavy sweating can cause you to become dehydrated. This can lead to very low blood pressure, electrolyte disorders, or kidney failure while you are taking trandolapril and verapamil. Drink plenty of water each day while you are taking this medication.

To be sure this medication is helping your condition, your blood pressure will need to be checked on a regular basis. Do not miss any scheduled visits to your doctor.

If you need to have any type of surgery, tell the surgeon ahead of time that you are taking trandolapril and verapamil. You may need to stop using the medicine for a short time.

Keep using this medicine as directed, even if you feel well. High blood pressure often has no symptoms, so you may not know when your blood pressure is high. You may need to use blood pressure medication for the rest of your life.

Store trandolapril and verapamil at room temperature away from moisture and heat.

Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take the medicine at the next regularly scheduled time. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine.

Overdose symptoms may include slow heart rate, weak pulse, muscle weakness, tingly feeling, seizure (convulsions), feeling light-headed, or fainting.

Avoid getting up too fast from a sitting or lying position, or you may feel dizzy. Get up slowly and steady yourself to prevent a fall.

Do not use salt substitutes or potassium supplements while taking trandolapril and verapamil, unless your doctor has told you to.

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; severe stomach pain; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

• urinating less than usual or not at all;
• swelling, weight gain, feeling short of breath;
• feeling like you might pass out;
• chest pain, slow heart rate; or
• jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes).

Less serious side effects may include:

• cough;
• headache;
• runny or stuffy nose, sore throat;
• constipation, diarrhea;
• dizziness;
• back pain;
• joint pain; or
• nausea.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Tell your doctor about any unusual or bothersome side effect.

Tell your doctor about all other medications you use, especially:

• a diuretic (water pill);
• phenytoin (Dilantin) or carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Tegretol);
• cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune, Gengraf);
• digoxin (digitalis, Lanoxin);
• lithium (Lithobid, Eskalith);
• rifampin (Rifadin, Rifamate, Rimactane);
• theophylline (Elixophyllin, Respbid, Theo-Dur, and others);
• heart rhythm medicine such as disopyramide (Norpace), flecainide (Tambocor), or quinidine (Quinaglute, Quinidex, Quin-Release); or
• a beta-blocker such as atenolol (Tenormin), bisoprolol (Zebeta, Ziac), carvedilol (Coreg), labetalol (Normodyne, Trandate), metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol), propranolol (Inderal, InnoPran), sotalol (Betapace), timolol (Blocadren), and others.

This list is not complete and there may be other drugs not listed that can affect trandolapril and verapamil. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.

Your pharmacist can provide more information about trandolapril and verapamil.