If you are suffering with high blood pressure problems, no doubt you are also looking at various medications as a solution. It is very likely you have come across the drug Lotrel, but how much do you really know about it? On the one hand you have probably heard about the many success stories, but on the other hand I am sure you are asking yourself if there are any cautions to observe. In this article we will examine some of these issues so that you will hopefully have more information to make an informed choice.

What exactly is Lotrel?

This medication actually belongs to a group of drugs, known collectively as calcium channel blockers. Going to work by relaxing the patient’s blood vessels, they make them wider and thus help maintain a better blood flow. One of the main causes of increased blood pressure is known as water retention; Lotrel prevents the body from keeping too much water by converting its enzymes. You will also find it called by two other names, Amlodipine or Benazepril. It is in fact a very common treatment for high blood pressure and tends to be used after other weaker medications have failed.

So can anyone take it?

The answer to that is an emphatic no – never take Lotrel without your doctor’s prior consent. This is actually good common sense advice for any prescription drug. If you are pregnant, or indeed if you are a woman planning on starting a family then this medication is not for you at this point in your life. The impact of this drug on your unborn child could potentially be life threatening, or even fatal. Many doctors will even advise you to take contraception during this course of treatment, to avoid an unplanned pregnancy.

Are there any contraindications I should know about?

If you are taking Lotrel you do need to make sure that you are not allergic to either Amlodipine or Benazepril. Also check very carefully if you have an allergy to other ACE inhibitors including Mavik, Capoten, Altace, Monopril, Accupril, Vasotec, Aceon, Prinivil, Zestril or Univasc. Please note this list is not extensive; liaise with your doctor. You should also be aware that you could encounter problems if you are suffering from a kidney disease, liver disease, diabetes or congestive heart failure. If this is the case your health care providers will either adjust your recommended dosage or prescribe another drug for you.

Summary

A lot of people, as I’m sure you will know already, have successfully used Lotrel as a weapon to fight against high blood pressure. Due to it being a relatively strong drug, anecdotal evidence would suggest it has a higher rate of success than similar treatments. You will want to heed the advice of your doctor before starting with this medication, do not take it during pregnancy, and be aware of any allergies you may have. That being said however, there is every reason why you should find Lotrel to be a sufficiently effective solution to overcoming your high blood pressure problems.