Drug Notes

Moexipril (By mouth)

Moexipril (moe-EX-i-pril)

Treats high blood pressure. A lower blood pressure can reduce the risk of stroke and heart attack. This medicine is an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor.

Brand Name(s):

Univasc

When This Medicine Should Not Be Used:

How to Use This Medicine:

Tablet

• Take your medicine as directed. Your dose may need to be changed several times to find what works best for you.
• It is best to take this medicine on an empty stomach, at least 1 hour before meals.
• Carefully follow your doctor's instructions about any special diet. Be sure to drink plenty of fluids if you exercise, sweat more than usual, or have diarrhea or vomiting.

If a dose is missed:

• Take a dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, wait until then and take a regular dose. Do not take extra medicine to make up for a missed dose.

How to Store and Dispose of This Medicine:

• Store the medicine in a closed container at room temperature, away from heat, moisture, and direct light.
• Ask your pharmacist, doctor, or health caregiver about the best way to dispose of any outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed.
• Keep all medicine out of the reach of children. Never share your medicine with anyone.

Drugs and Foods to Avoid:

Ask your doctor or pharmacist before using any other medicine, including over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products.

• Make sure your doctor knows if you also use aliskiren (Tekturna®), lithium (Eskalith®, Lithobid®), or gold injections (such as sodium aurothiomalate). Tell your doctor if you also use a diuretic (water pill, such as amiloride, chlorthalidone, furosemide, spironolactone, triamterene, Aldactone®, Lasix®) or an NSAID pain or arthritis medicine (such as aspirin, diclofenac, ibuprofen, naproxen, Advil®, Aleve®, Celebrex®, Voltaren®).
• Ask your doctor before you use medicines, supplements, or salt substitutes that contain potassium.

Warnings While Using This Medicine:

• It is not safe to take this medicine during pregnancy. It could harm an unborn baby. Tell your doctor right away if you become pregnant.
• Make sure your doctor knows if you are breastfeeding or if you have kidney problems, liver disease, heart or blood vessel disease, congestive heart failure, low blood pressure, low blood volume, or mineral imbalance (such as high potassium or low sodium in the blood). Tell your doctor if you have diabetes, lupus, or an autoimmune disorder (such as collagen vascular disease or scleroderma).
• Call your doctor right away if you have severe stomach pain (with or without nausea or vomiting). This could be a symptom of intestinal angioedema.
• This medicine could lower your blood pressure too much and cause you to feel dizzy or lightheaded. Stand or sit up slowly if you are dizzy. This is more likely to happen when you begin to use the medicine. It could also happen if you have diarrhea or vomiting, you sweat heavily, or you do not drink enough water and become dehydrated. If you faint, stop using this medicine and call your doctor right away.
• Check with your doctor if you have a fever, chills, or sore throat. These could be symptoms of an infection resulting from low white blood cell counts.
• Check with your doctor right away if you have upper stomach pain, pale stools, dark urine, loss of appetite, nausea, unusual tiredness, or yellow eyes or skin. These could be symptoms of a serious liver problem.
• Tell any doctor or dentist who treats you that you are using this medicine. You may need to stop using this medicine several days before you have surgery or medical tests.
• This medicine may make you dizzy or drowsy. Do not drive, use machines, or do anything else that could be dangerous until you know how this medicine affects you.
• Your doctor will do lab tests at regular visits to check on the effects of this medicine. Keep all appointments.
• This medicine may be less effective in black patients. Black patients also have an increased risk of swelling of the hands, arms, face, mouth, or throat.
• Do not stop using the medicine without asking your doctor, even if you feel well. This medicine will not cure your high blood pressure, but it will help keep it in normal range. You may have to take blood pressure medicine for the rest of your life.

Possible Side Effects While Using This Medicine:

Call your doctor right away if you notice any of these side effects:

• Allergic reaction: Itching or hives, swelling in your face or hands, swelling or tingling in your mouth or throat, chest tightness, trouble breathing
• Change in how much or how often you urinate, problems urinating
• Confusion, weakness, trouble breathing, numbness or tingling in your hands, feet, or lips
• Dark-colored urine or pale stools, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, or pain in your upper stomach, yellow skin or eyes
• Fast, slow, uneven, or pounding heartbeat
• Fever, chills, sore throat
• Lightheadedness, dizziness, fainting
• Rapid weight gain, swelling in your face, tongue, hands, ankles, or feet
• Severe stomach pain (with or without nausea)
• Unusual tiredness or weakness

If you notice these less serious side effects, talk with your doctor:

• Dry cough

If you notice other side effects that you think are caused by this medicine, tell your doctor

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088

Last Updated: 1/27/2017