Aquinafil is used to:
Aquinafil 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, depending on how busy or worried you are. You have hypertension (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 hypertension. The only way of knowing that you have hypertension 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 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.
This medicine works by widening your blood vessels, which reduces 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.
Aquinafil belongs to a group of medicines called angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors.
Your doctor may have prescribed Aquinafil for another reason.
Ask your doctor if you have any questions about why Aquinafil has been prescribed for you.
Aquinafil is not addictive.
This medicine is available only with a doctor's prescription.
The safety and effectiveness of this medicine in children have not been established.
Do not take Aquinafil if you have an allergy to:
Some of the symptoms of an allergic reaction may include:
Do not take Aquinafil if you have taken any other 'ACE inhibitor' medicine before, which caused your face, lips, tongue, throat, hands or feet to swell up, or made it hard for you to breathe.
If you have had an allergic reaction to an ACE inhibitor before, you may be allergic to Aquinafil.
Do not take Aquinafil if you or your family have a history of swelling of the face, lips, tongue, throat, hands or feet for no apparent reason.
Do not take Aquinafil if you have kidney problems or a condition called 'renal artery stenosis'.
Do not take Aquinafil if you have regular dialysis for blood filtration.
You may experience an allergic reaction.
Do not take Aquinafil if you are diabetic or have kidney problems and are currently taking a medicine called aliskiren. This medicine is used to treat high blood pressure.
You may experience severe side effects.
Do not take this medicine if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
The active ingredient quinapril hydrochloride may enter your womb or it may pass into the breast milk and there is the possibility that your baby may be affected.
Do not take this medicine after the expiry date printed on the pack or if the packaging is torn or shows signs of tampering.
If you are not sure whether you should start taking this medicine, talk to your doctor.
Tell your doctor if you have allergies to:
Tell your doctor if you have or have had any medical conditions, especially the following:
You must also tell your doctor if you:
If you have not told your doctor about any of the above, tell him or her before you start taking Aquinafil.
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any other medicines, including:
Some medicines may be affected by Aquinafil or may affect how well it works. You may need different amounts of your medicines, or you may need to take different medicines. Your doctor will advise you.
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any of the following:
Tell your doctor if you are taking any of the following medicines:
Taking Aquinafil in combination with these medicines may increase your risk of having an allergic reaction.
If you are not sure if you are taking any of the medicines mentioned in this leaflet, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Your doctor and pharmacist have more information on medicines to be careful with or avoid while taking this medicine.
Follow all directions given to you by your doctor or pharmacist carefully.
They may differ from the information contained in this leaflet.
If you do not understand the instructions on the box, ask your doctor or pharmacist for help.
Your doctor or pharmacist will tell you how many tablets you need to take each day. This may depend on your age, your condition and whether or not you are taking any other medicines.
For most patients, not on diuretics (fluid tablets), the usual starting dose is 5 to 10 mg taken once a day. The dose may need to be increased depending on your blood pressure at an interval of 4 weeks. Most patients take between 10 and 40 mg each day.
This dose may be taken once a day or divided into two equal doses per day (one in the morning and one at night).
The usual starting dose is 5 mg taken once a day. In most patients, effective doses are between 10 and 20 mg a day. Your doctor will advise whether the dose is to be taken as a single dose or as two separate doses.
Swallow the tablets whole with a full glass of water.
Do not chew the tablets.
Take your medicine at about the same time each day.
Taking it at the same time each day will have the best effect. It will also help you remember when to take it.
Take this medicine before meals.
Food with a high fat content may interfere with the absorption of this medicine.
Continue taking your medicine for as long as your doctor tells you.
This medicine helps to control your condition, but does not cure it. Therefore you must take this medicine every day. It is important to keep taking your medicine even if you feel well.
If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the dose you missed and take your next dose when you are meant to.
Otherwise, take it as soon as you remember and then go back to taking your medicine as you would normally.
Do not take a double dose to make up for the dose that you missed.
This may increase the chance of you getting an unwanted side effect.
If you are not sure what to do, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
If you have trouble remembering to take your medicine, ask your pharmacist for some hints.
Immediately telephone your doctor or Poisons Information Centre (telephone 13 11 26) for advice, or go to Accident and Emergency at the nearest hospital, if you think that you or anyone else may have taken too much Aquinafil.
Do this even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning.
You may need urgent medical attention.
If you take too much Aquinafil, you may feel light-headed, dizzy or you may faint.
If you are about to be started on any new medicine, remind your doctor, dentist or pharmacist that you are taking Aquinafil.
Make sure you drink enough water during exercise and hot weather when you are taking Aquinafil, especially if you sweat a lot.
If you do not drink enough water while taking Aquinafil, you may feel faint, light-headed or sick. This is because your blood pressure is dropping suddenly. If you continue to feel unwell, tell your doctor.
Tell your doctor if you have excess vomiting or diarrhoea while taking Aquinafil.
You may lose too much water and salt and your blood pressure may drop too much.
Tell your doctor immediately if you feel light-headed or dizzy after taking your first dose of Aquinafil, or when your dose is increased.
This is especially important if you are taking Aquinafil for heart failure.
If you are going to have surgery that needs a general anaesthetic, tell the surgeon, anaesthetist or dentist that you are taking this medicine.
Your blood pressure may drop suddenly.
Tell your doctor immediately if you become pregnant while taking this medicine.
Tell your doctor that you are taking this medicine if you are about to have any blood tests.
This medicine may interfere with the results of some tests.
Have your blood pressure checked when your doctor says, to make sure Aquinafil is working.
Go to your doctor regularly for a check-up.
Your doctor may occasionally do a blood test to check your potassium levels and see how your kidneys are working.
Do not give your medicine to anyone else, even if they have the same condition as you.
Do not take Aquinafil to treat any other complaints unless your doctor or pharmacist tells you to.
Do not stop taking your medicine or lower the dosage, without checking with your doctor.
If you feel light-headed, dizzy or faint when getting out of bed or standing up, get up slowly.
Standing up slowly, especially when you get up from bed or chairs, will help your body get used to the change in position and blood pressure. If this problem continues or gets worse, talk to your doctor.
Be careful driving or operating machinery until you know how Aquinafil affects you.
As with other ACE inhibitor medicines, this medicine may cause dizziness, light-headedness or tiredness in some people. Make sure you know how you react to this medicine before you drive a car, operate machinery, or do anything else that could be dangerous if you are dizzy or light-headed. If this occurs do not drive. If you drink alcohol, dizziness or light-headedness may be worse.
Some self help measures suggested below may help your condition.
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about these measures and for more information.
Tell your doctor or pharmacist as soon as possible if you do not feel well while you are taking Aquinafil.
Aquinafil helps most people with high blood pressure and heart failure, but it may have unwanted side effects in a few people.
All medicines can have side effects. Sometimes they are serious, most of the time they are not. You may need medical treatment if you get some of the side effects.
It can be difficult to tell whether side effects are the result of taking Aquinafil, effects of your condition or side effects of other medicines you may be taking. For this reason it is important to tell your doctor of any change in your condition.
If you are over 65 years of age you may have an increased chance of getting side effects.
Do not be alarmed by the list of side effects.
You may not experience any of them.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist to answer any questions you may have.
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you notice any of the following and they worry you:
The above list includes the more common side effects of your medicine. They are usually mild and short-lived.
Tell your doctor as soon as possible if you notice any of the following:
The above list includes serious side effects that may require medical attention. Serious side effects are rare.
Stop taking Aquinafil and tell your doctor immediately or go to Accident and Emergency at your nearest hospital if you notice any of the following:
The above list includes very serious side effects. You may need urgent medical attention or hospitalisation. These side effects are very rare.
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you notice anything else that is making you feel unwell.
Other side effects not listed above may also occur in some people.
Keep your tablets in the box until it is time to take them.
If you take the tablets out of the box they may not keep well.
Keep your tablets in a cool dry place where the temperature stays below 25°C.
Do not store Aquinafil or any other medicine in the bathroom or near a sink. Do not leave it on a windowsill or in the car.
Heat and dampness can destroy some medicines.
Keep it where children cannot reach it.
A locked cupboard at least one-and-a-half metres above the ground is a good place to store medicines.
If your doctor tells you to stop taking this medicine or the expiry date has passed, ask your pharmacist what to do with any that is left over.
Aquinafil tablets come in three strengths and each has a different appearance:
Aquinafil 5 mg - Reddish-brown, oval, biconvex, film-coated tablet with bisecting score on both sides and debossing "5" on both sides in opposite direction.
Aquinafil 10 mg - Reddish-brown, triangular, biconvex film-coated tablet with bisecting score on both sides and debossing "10" on one side.
Aquinafil 20 mg - Reddish-brown, round, biconvex film-coated tablet, with bisecting score on both sides and debossing "20" on one side.
A box of Aquinafil contains 30 tablets.
Active ingredient:
Other ingredients:
Aquinafil does not contain sucrose, gluten, tartrazine or any other azo dyes.