Perindopril
Perindopril tablets are a prescription-only medication that can be taken daily to lower your blood pressure.
(2)Prices from £19.99
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Perindopril is a medication to lower blood pressure. It’s taken once a day and is available in 2mg, 4mg and 8mg tablets.
Perindopril lowers your blood pressure by relaxing your blood vessels to allow blood to pass through easily. Its active ingredient is a salt (either perindopril tert-butylamine, perindopril erbumine, or arginine). These salts all work in the same way.
You can request perindopril from ZAVA if you have been taking it for at least 3 months and are stable on this treatment.
Perindopril is a generic, non branded medication. Perindopril is also available under the brand name Coversyl.
Prices
3 x 30 tablet(s) - £19.99
6 x 28 tablet(s) - £29.99
3 x 30 tablet(s) - £19.99
6 x 28 tablet(s) - £29.99
3 x 30 tablet(s) - £24.99
6 x 28 tablet(s) - £32.00
About Perindopril
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Perindopril is a medication used to lower your blood pressure (an antihypertensive). It is a type of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor.
High blood pressure (hypertension) can happen for many reasons. You often will not feel any symptoms. Extremely high blood pressure can give you a severe headache or make you feel very tired.
When you are prescribed perindopril, your doctor or nurse will want to check your blood pressure again and do some blood tests after about a month. Once your blood pressure is stable, you’ll need yearly check ups to make sure you are still responding to treatment.
You can take perindopril on its own or with other blood pressure lowering medications. Your doctor or nurse will discuss with you what are the best treatment options for you.
Perindopril can also be prescribed to treat congestive heart failure and coronary artery disease.
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You can take perindopril once a day in the morning. It’s better to take perindopril before a meal to make sure it works properly. Try to take perindopril around the same time each day.
If you miss a dose of perindopril, take it as soon as you remember. If you remember at the end of the day, leave the missed dose and take your next dose as normal. Never double up doses to make up for a missed dose.
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Perindopril is part of a group of medicines called ACE inhibitors. It blocks an enzyme called angiotensin-converting enzyme from making angiotensin II.
Angiotensin II constricts your blood vessels to raise your blood pressure. If this does not naturally get lower, your blood pressure will remain high. This is where you’ll need treatment to bring it down.
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Perindopril is an effective antihypertensive medication. It can take a few weeks for your blood pressure to reach a stable reading when taking perindopril. It’s best to take perindopril before breakfast in the morning to make sure the tablet is fully absorbed into your body.
Perindopril can be used on its own or with other blood pressure lowering medication. Your doctor or nurse will adjust your medications to make sure you get the right treatment.
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Which Perindopril dose you are prescribed depends on whether you are taking Perindopril as a standalone treatment or in combination with other blood pressure medication, such as diuretics.
The normal starting dose is 4mg per day. After the initial month, your doctor will assess whether your blood pressure needs to be lowered further and whether you are suffering any side effects.
Your dosage will be adjusted if necessary, to ensure you benefit from the treatment. Elderly people sometimes require a lower Perindopril dose and may be given 2mg to start with. You should always stick to the recommended daily dose, so if you forget to take a tablet just take the next one as usual. Do not take two tablets in one day.
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You may experience side effects when taking perindopril. This happens as your body adjusts to the new medication. Most side effects should wear off after a few days. If they persist, speak to your doctor. They may switch you to an alternative medication.
The common side effects of perindopril are:
- dry cough
- headaches
- dizziness
- pins and needles sensation in your limbs
- muscle cramps
- feeling sick or being sick
Some uncommon side effects of perindopril are:
- swelling in your lower legs or hands (peripheral oedema)
- erectile dysfunction in men
- dry mouth
- itching or skin rashes
- depression
- palpitations (fast heartbeat)
- excess sweating
- joint pain
If you get any serious side effects, stop taking perindopril and contact 999 immediately. Serious side effects include:
- jaundice, where your eyes or skin appears yellow
- severe skin rash
- swelling of the face, lips or throat (angioedema)
- chest pain or shortness of breath
These side effects are very rare, but you should be aware of what to do in case they happen to you.
For more information on side effects, you can read the patient information leaflet.
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You can take perindopril if you have high blood pressure and are over 18 years old.
You should not take perindopril if you:
- are pregnant or think you might be pregnant
- are breastfeeding
- are under 18 years old
- are allergic to perindopril, its ingredients or other ACE inhibitors
- are taking aliskiren
- if you have kidney disease where your kidney function is reduced
- are on dialysis
- if you take sacubitril/valsartan for heart failure, also known as Entresto
If you have certain health conditions you may be able to take perindopril, but you should speak to your doctor first. These include if you:
- have diabetes
- have a vascular condition that affects your arteries
- have heart disease
- have liver or kidney problems
- are on a specific diet where you use salt substitutes that contain potassium
- are going to have surgery under anaesthesia
If you are black, you might be started on a calcium channel blocker (CCB) like amlodipine to manage your blood pressure instead. This is because ACE inhibitors are not as effective to treat hypertension in black people.
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Perindopril can interact with other medications you might be taking. This can interfere with how perindopril works or lower your blood pressure too much.
Perindopril can interact with:
- other treatments for high blood pressure, such as angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) like losartan
- non steroidal anti inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), used for pain relief, such as ibuprofen or naproxen
- lithium, which is used to treat some mental health conditions
- allopurinol, used to treat gout
- tricyclic antidepressants, such as amitriptyline
- immunosuppressants, used after organ transplants like tacrolimus or ciclosporin
- baclofen, used to treat muscle stiffness
Speak to your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any of these medications. You will not need to stop taking perindopril, but you might need a dose adjustment or extra blood tests.
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There are several alternative treatments for high blood pressure. If perindopril is not suitable for you, you may try another ACE inhibitor such as ramipril or enalapril.
Angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) such as irbesartan work in a similar way to perindopril. They are often used interchangeably with ACE inhibitors if you cannot take them. Your doctor may switch you to an ARB if you have a persistent dry cough with perindopril.
Other antihypertensives include indapamide and doxazosin. They’re usually used if other treatments are less effective in controlling your blood pressure. These medications are often prescribed as an additional treatment.
Dr Babak Ashrafi Clinical Lead for Service Expansion
Accreditations: BSc, MBBS, MRCGP (2008)
Babak studied medicine at King’s College London and graduated in 2003, having also gained a bachelor’s degree in Physiology during his time there. He completed his general practice (GP) training in East London, where he worked for a number of years as a partner at a large inner-city GP practice. He completed the Royal College of GPs membership exam in 2007.
Meet our doctorsLast reviewed: 30 Mar 2022
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Perindopril 4mg tablets, Product Information Leaflet [accessed February 2022]
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Perindopril, NICE/British National Formulary [accessed February 2022]
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High blood pressure (hypertension), National Health Service [accessed February 2022]
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High blood pressure, British Heart Foundation [accessed February 2022]
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Perindopril, National Health Service [accessed February 2022]
In order to avoid related health risks, your blood pressure needs to be kept within the normal range. Because of this, you shouldn’t miss doses of your blood pressure treatment if possible. You reorder your treatment quickly and conveniently from ZAVA, to avoid running out.