ACE inhibitors: licensed options
Ramipril 2.5mg/5ml oral solution
Available as a licensed product. It requires fridge storage and has one month expiry once opened.
Captopril 5mg/5ml and 25mg/5ml oral solutions
Available as licensed products. They have a shelf-life of 21 or 28 days after opening (depending on manufacturer) and do not require fridge storage.
Captopril is not usually suitable for once daily administration.
ACE inhibitors: licensed options used in unlicensed manner
Enalapril, lisinopril and ramipril tablets
Can be crushed and/or dispersed in water or crushed and given with soft food.
Perindopril erbumine (perindopril tert-butylamine) tablets
Can be crushed and mixed with water or given with soft food. Absorption might be reduced by food but this might not be clinically relevant; give the medicine the same way each day, monitor for effect and adjust the dose if necessary.
Ramipril capsules
Can be opened and the contents placed directly in the mouth, on a piece of bread or given with soft food. The capsule contents taste unpleasant.
Captopril tablets
Can be crushed and/or dispersed in water or crushed and given with soft food.
Captopril is not usually suitable for once daily administration.
Special-order ACE inhibitors
The following are listed in Part VIIIB of the Drug Tariff:
Lisinopril
Available in 20mg/5ml oral solution and 20mg/5ml oral suspension
Perindopril erbumine
Available in 4mg/5ml oral solution and 4mg/5ml oral suspension
Angiotensin II receptor antagonists: licensed options
Valsartan 3mg/ml oral solution
Available as a licensed preparation. It has a three-month expiry once opened and does not require fridge storage. When converting from tablets to oral solution, halve the tablet dose.
The oral solution is only licensed for children and young people aged 1 to less than 18 years of age, not for adults.
Angiotensin II receptor antagonists: licensed products used in unlicensed manner
Candesartan, eprosartan and losartan tablets
Can be crushed and mixed with water or given with soft food.
Irbesartan and telmisartan tablets
Can be crushed and/or dispersed in water or crushed and given with food.
Valsartan capsules
Can be opened and dispersed in water or given with food.
Special-order angiotensin II receptor antagonists
The following is listed in Part VIIIB of the Drug Tariff:
Losartan
Available in 50mg/5ml oral suspension
Update history
- Strength of ramipril oral solution amended
- Published