Capozide

How does it work?

Capozide tablets and Capozide LS tablets both contain two active ingredients, captopril and hydrochlorothiazide. Captopril is a type of medicine called an ACE inhibitor. Hydrochlorothiazide is a type of medicine called a thiazide diuretic. These are both medicines used to lower high blood pressure. (NB. The combination of captopril and hydrochlorothiazide is sometimes known as co-zidocapt. Co-zidocapt tablets are also available without a brand name, ie as the generic medicine.)

ACE inhibitors such as captopril work by blocking the action of a compound in the body called angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE). Normally ACE produces another compound called angiotensin II, as part of the body's natural control of blood pressure. Angiotensin II causes blood vessels to constrict and narrow, which increases the pressure within the blood vessels.

As captopril blocks the action of ACE, it reduces the production of angiotensin II. This means that the blood vessels are allowed to relax and widen. The overall effect of this is a drop in blood pressure, hence captopril can be used to lower high blood pressure.

Diuretics such as hydrochlorothiazide are sometimes referred to as ‘water tablets’. They remove excess fluid from the body by increasing the production of urine.

Diuretics act in the kidneys. They work by causing the kidneys to increase the amount of salts, such as potassium and sodium, that are filtered out of the blood and into the urine. When these salts are filtered out of the blood by the kidneys, they draw water alongside them. As diuretics increase the removal of salts from the blood, they also cause more water to be drawn out of the blood and into the urine.

Removing water from the blood decreases the volume of fluid circulating through the blood vessels. This subsequently decreases the pressure within the blood vessels. Diuretics can therefore be used to lower high blood pressure.

The combination of captopril with hydrochlorothiazide is used when blood pressure has not been lowered sufficiently using captopril on its own.

What is it used for?

High blood pressure with no known cause.

Warning!

Diuretics cause your kidneys to produce more urine, so you may prefer to take this medicine in the morning rather than before going to bed. This will avoid disturbing your sleep with the need to get up in the night to visit the toilet. Seek further advice from your doctor or pharmacist.

This medicine may make you feel dizzy as a result of the drop in your blood pressure. If you feel dizzy this can usually be relieved by lying down until the symptoms pass. If affected you should avoid performing potentially hazardous tasks such as driving or operating machinary. If you frequently feel dizzy you should let your doctor know, as your dose of this medicine may need reducing.

Alcohol may enhance the blood pressure lowering effect of this medicine, which can increase dizziness and may increase the risk of fainting.

ACE inhibitors can sometimes cause an allergic reaction called angioedema. This is more likely to occur in black patients. Stop taking this medicine and consult your doctor immediately if you experience difficulty breathing or swallowing, or swelling of your face, lips, tongue, throat, hands, feet or ankles while taking this medicine.

If you experience any signs of infection while taking this medicine, such as flu-like symptoms, high temperature (fever), sore throat or inflammation of the lining of the mouth (stomatitis), you should tell your doctor immediately.

Your blood pressure, kidney function and levels of electrolytes (salts such as potassium) in your blood should be regularly monitored while you are taking this medicine.

If you need a test to assess the functioning of your parathyroid gland your doctor may ask you to stop taking this medicine beforehand, as it may interfere with the test results.

Use with caution in

Elderly people

Decreased liver function

Liver cirrhosis

Decreased kidney function

Narrowing of the arteries that supply blood to the kidneys (renal artery stenosis)

People with low fluid volume or salt levels in the body, eg due to diuretic therapy, low-sodium diet, diarrhoea or vomiting

People taking other medicines for high blood pressure, particularly diuretics (see end of factsheet)

Heart failure

Narrowing of the main artery of the body (aortic stenosis)

Narrowing of one of the valves in the heart (mitral valve stenosis)

Heart disease characterised by thickening of the internal heart muscle and a blockage inside the heart (hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy)

People with hardening of the arteries, eg in the heart (cardiovascular disease), brain (cerebrovascular disease) or legs (peripheral vascular disease)

Diabetes

Gout

Diseases affecting connective tissue, eg scleroderma, systemic lupus erythematosus (collagen vascular diseases)

People with kidney failure requiring a certain type of haemodialysis (high-flux membrane)

People receiving therapy to remove certain types of fat from the blood using a machine (LDL apheresis)

People undergoing therapy to decrease allergy to bee or wasp stings (desensitisation).

Not to be used in

Allergy to medicines from the sulphonamide group, eg the antibiotic sulfamethoxazole

Allergy to other ACE inhibitor medicines

History of swelling of the lips, face or tongue (angioedema) with no known cause, or caused by previous use of an ACE inhibitor medicine

Hereditary angioedema

Severely decreased kidney function

Severely decreased liver function

Pregnancy

Breastfeeding

Rare hereditary problems of galactosaemia, glucose and galactose malabsorption or lactase deficiency syndromes (Capozide tablets contain lactose.)

This medicine is not recommended for children.

This medicine should not be used if you are allergic to one or any of its ingredients. Please inform your doctor or pharmacist if you have previously experienced such an allergy. If you feel you have experienced an allergic reaction, stop using this medicine and inform your doctor or pharmacist immediately.

Pregnancy and Breastfeeding

Certain medicines should not be used during pregnancy or breastfeeding. However, other medicines may be safely used in pregnancy or breastfeeding providing the benefits to the mother outweigh the risks to the unborn baby. Always inform your doctor if you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, before using any medicine.

This medicine should not be used in pregnancy, particularly in the second and third trimesters, as it may be harmful to the unborn baby. Seek further medical advice from your doctor. If you get pregnant while taking this medicine, you should consult your doctor immediately.

This medicine passes into breast milk. The manufacturer states that it should not be taken by women who are breastfeeding. Seek further medical advice from your doctor.

Side effects

Medicines and their possible side effects can affect individual people in different ways. The following are some of the side effects that are known to be associated with this medicine. Because a side effect is stated here, it does not mean that all people using this medicine will experience that or any side effect.

Dizziness

Dry cough

Disturbances of the gut such as diarrhoea, constipation, nausea, vomiting or abdominal pain

Dry mouth

Alteration in taste

Shortness of breath

Rash or itching

Hair loss

Fatigue

Chest pain (angina)

Faster than normal heart beat (tachycardia)

Low blood pressure (hypotension)

Flushing

Headache

Pins and needles sensations (paraesthesia)

Severe swelling of lips, face, tongue or throat (angioedema - see warning above)

Increased level of potassium in the blood (hyperkalaemia)

Increased level of uric acid in the blood (hyperuricaemia)

Impotence

Disorders of the kidney, liver or blood

The side effects listed above may not include all of the side effects reported by the drug's manufacturer. For more information about any other possible risks associated with this medicine, please read the information provided with the medicine or consult your doctor or pharmacist.

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