Ramipril (Page 3 of 7)

5.6 Fetal Toxicity

Pregnancy Category D
Use of drugs that act on the renin-angiotensin system during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy reduces fetal renal function and increases fetal and neonatal morbidity and death. Resulting oligohydramnios can be associated with fetal lung hypoplasia and skeletal deformations. Potential neonatal adverse effects include skull hypoplasia, anuria, hypotension, renal failure, and death. When pregnancy is detected, discontinue ramipril as soon as possible [see Use in Specific Populations (8.1)] .

5.7 Dual Blockade of the Renin-Angiotensin System

Dual blockade of the RAS with angiotensin receptor blockers, ACE inhibitors, or aliskiren is associated with increased risks of hypotension, hyperkalemia, and changes in renal function (including acute renal failure) compared to monotherapy. Most patients receiving the combination of two RAS inhibitors do not obtain any additional benefit compared to monotherapy. In general, avoid combined use of RAS inhibitors. Closely monitor blood pressure, renal function and electrolytes in patients on ramipril and other agents that affect the RAS.

Telmisartan

The ONTARGET trial enrolled 25,620 patients >55 years old with atherosclerotic disease or diabetes with end-organ damage, randomized them to telmisartan only, ramipril only, or the combination, and followed them for a median of 56 months. Patients receiving the combination of telmisartan and ramipril did not obtain any benefit in the composite endpoint of cardiovascular death, MI, stroke and heart failure hospitalization compared to monotherapy, but experienced an increased incidence of clinically important renal dysfunction (death, doubling of serum creatinine, or dialysis) compared with groups receiving telmisartan alone or ramipril alone. Concomitant use of telmisartan and ramipril is not recommended.

Aliskiren

Do not co-administer aliskiren with ramipril in patients with diabetes. Avoid concomitant use of aliskiren with ramipril in patients with renal impairment (GFR <60 mL/min/1.73 m 2) .

5.8 Hyperkalemia

In clinical trials with ramipril, hyperkalemia (serum potassium >5.7 mEq/L) occurred in approximately 1% of hypertensive patients receiving ramipril. In most cases, these were isolated values, which resolved despite continued therapy. None of these patients were discontinued from the trials because of hyperkalemia. Risk factors for the development of hyperkalemia include renal insufficiency, diabetes mellitus, and the concomitant use of other drugs that raise serum potassium levels. Monitor serum potassium in such patients [see Drug Interactions (7.2)] .

5.9 Cough

Presumably caused by inhibition of the degradation of endogenous bradykinin, persistent nonproductive cough has been reported with all ACE inhibitors, always resolving after discontinuation of therapy. Consider the possibility of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor induced-cough in the differential diagnosis of cough.

6 ADVERSE REACTIONS

6.1 Clinical Trials Experience

Because clinical trials are conducted under widely varying conditions, the adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical trials of a drug cannot be directly compared to rates in the clinical trials of another drug and may not reflect the rates observed in practice.
Hypertension
Ramipril has been evaluated for safety in over 4000 patients with hypertension; of these, 1230 patients were studied in U.S. controlled trials, and 1107 were studied in foreign controlled trials. Almost 700 of these patients were treated for at least one year. The overall incidence of reported adverse events was similar in ramipril and placebo patients. The most frequent clinical side effects (possibly or probably related to study drug) reported by patients receiving ramipril in placebo-controlled trials were: headache (5.4%), dizziness (2.2%), and fatigue or asthenia (2%), but only the last one was more common in ramipril patients than in patients given placebo. Generally the side effects were mild and transient, and there was no relation to total dosage within the range of 1.25 mg to 20 mg. Discontinuation of therapy because of a side effect was required in approximately 3% of U.S. patients treated with ramipril. The most common reasons for discontinuation were: cough (1%), dizziness (0.5%), and impotence (0.4%).
Of observed side effects considered possibly or probably related to study drug that occurred in U.S. placebo-controlled trials in more than 1% of patients treated with ramipril, only asthenia (fatigue) was more common on ramipril than placebo (2% [n=13/651] vs. 1% [n=2/286], respectively). In placebo-controlled trials, there was also an excess of upper respiratory infection and flu syndrome in the ramipril group, not attributed at that time to ramipril. As these studies were carried out before the relationship of cough to ACE inhibitors was recognized, some of these events may represent ramipril-induced cough. In a later 1-year study, increased cough was seen in almost 12% of ramipril patients, with about 4% of patients requiring discontinuation of treatment.

Reduction in the Risk of Myocardial Infarction, Stroke, and Death from Cardiovascular Causes

HOPE Study

Safety data in the Heart Outcomes Prevention Evaluation (HOPE) study were collected as reasons for discontinuation or temporary interruption of treatment. The incidence of cough was similar to that seen in the Acute Infarction Ramipril Efficacy (AIRE) trial. The rate of angioedema was the same as in previous clinical trials [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1)].

Table 1
(click image for full-size original)

Heart Failure Post-Myocardial Infarction
AIRE Study Adverse reactions (except laboratory abnormalities) considered possibly/probably related to study drug that occurred in more than 1% of patients and more frequently on ramipril are shown below. The incidences are from the AIRE study. The follow-up time was between 6 and 46 months for this study.

Table 2. Percentage of Patients with Adverse Events Possibly/ Probably Related to Study Drug—Placebo-Controlled (AIRE) Mortality Study
Adverse Event Placebo (N=982) Ramipril (N=1004)

Hypotension

5%

11%

Cough increased

4%

8%

Dizziness

3%

4%

Angina pectoris

2%

3%

Nausea

1%

2%

Postural hypotension

1%

2%

Syncope

1%

2%

Vomiting

0.5%

2%

Vertigo

0.7%

2%

Abnormal kidney function

0.5%

1%

Diarrhea

0.4%

1%


Other Adverse Reactions
Other adverse reactions reported in controlled clinical trials (in less than 1% of ramipril patients), or rarer events seen in post-marketing experience, include the following (in some, a causal relationship to drug is uncertain):
Body as a whole: Anaphylactoid reactions [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1)] .
Cardiovascular: Symptomatic hypotension (reported in 0.5% of patients in U.S. trials) [see Warnings and Precautions (5.5)] , syncope, and palpitations.
Hematologic: Pancytopenia, hemolytic anemia, and thrombocytopenia.
Decreases in hemoglobin or hematocrit (a low value and a decrease of 5 g/dL or 5%, respectively) were rare, occurring in 0.4% of patients receiving ramipril alone and in 1.5% of patients receiving ramipril plus a diuretic.
Renal: Acute renal failure. Some hypertensive patients with no apparent pre-existing renal disease have developed minor, usually transient, increases in blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine when taking ramipril, particularly when ramipril was given concomitantly with a diuretic [see Warnings and Precautions (5.3)] .
Angioneurotic edema: Angioneurotic edema has been reported in 0.3% of patients in U.S. clinical trials of ramipril [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1)] .
Gastrointestinal: Hepatic failure, hepatitis, jaundice, pancreatitis, abdominal pain (sometimes with enzyme changes suggesting pancreatitis), anorexia, constipation, diarrhea, dry mouth, dyspepsia, dysphagia, gastroenteritis, increased salivation, and taste disturbance.
Dermatologic: Apparent hypersensitivity reactions (manifested by urticaria, pruritus, or rash, with or without fever), photosensitivity, purpura, onycholysis, pemphigus, pemphigoid, erythema multiforme, toxic epidermal necrolysis, and Stevens-Johnson syndrome.
Neurologic and Psychiatric: Anxiety, amnesia, convulsions, depression, hearing loss, insomnia, nervousness, neuralgia, neuropathy, paresthesia, somnolence, tinnitus, tremor, vertigo, and vision disturbances.
Miscellaneous: As with other ACE inhibitors, a symptom complex has been reported which may include a positive ANA, an elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate, arthralgia/arthritis, myalgia, fever, vasculitis, eosinophilia, photosensitivity, rash and other dermatologic manifestations. Additionally, as with other ACE inhibitors, eosinophilic pneumonitis has been reported.
Other: Arthralgia, arthritis, dyspnea, edema, epistaxis, impotence, increased sweating, malaise, myalgia, and weight gain.

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