Captopril is used for:

Treating high blood pressure, heart failure, or certain diabetic kidney problems. It is used to improve survival and decrease heart failure in certain patients after a heart attack. It may be used alone or in combination with other medicines. It may also be used to treat other conditions as determined by your doctor.

Captopril is an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor. It works by decreasing a chemical that tightens blood vessels. This causes blood vessels to relax (dilate), which lowers blood pressure and decreases the workload on the heart.

Do NOT use Captopril if:

• you are allergic to any ingredient in Captopril
• you are in the second or third trimester of pregnancy
• you have had a severe allergic reaction (eg, rash; hives; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue) to any other ACE inhibitor (eg, enalapril)
• you are currently taking dextran sulfate

Contact your doctor or health care provider right away if any of these apply to you.

Before using Captopril :

Some medical conditions may interact with Captopril. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you have any medical conditions, especially if any of the following apply to you:

• if you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding
• if you are taking any prescription or nonprescription medicine, herbal preparation, or dietary supplement
• if you have allergies to medicines or other substances
• if you have swelling of the lips, eyes, or tongue; bone marrow depression; decreased blood flow to the heart or brain; high blood potassium levels; low blood sodium levels; thickening of the skin; kidney disease, transplant, or dialysis; heart problems; lupus; an autoimmune disease; or are on a sodium-restricted diet

Some MEDICINES MAY INTERACT with Captopril. Tell your health care provider if you are taking any other medicines, especially any of the following:

• Allopurinol or dextran sulfate because it may increase the risk of an allergic reaction (eg, rash; hives; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue) and lightheadedness upon standing
• Diuretics (eg, hydrochlorothiazide, furosemide) because the risk of serious side effects may be increased
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) (eg, ibuprofen, indomethacin) because the effectiveness of Captopril may be decreased and the risk of kidney damage may be increased
• Lithium or thiopurines (eg, azathioprine) because the risk of serious side effects may be increased by Captopril
• Oral diabetes medicine (eg, glyburide) because side effects, including abnormally low blood sugar levels (eg, hunger, shakiness or weakness, dizziness, headache, sweating), may be increased by Captopril
• Potassium supplements or potassium-sparing diuretics (eg, amiloride) because high blood potassium levels (eg, listlessness, confusion, abnormal skin sensations in the arms or legs, heaviness of limbs, slow or irregular heartbeat, or stopping of the heart) may occur

This may not be a complete list of all interactions that may occur. Ask your health care provider if Captopril may interact with other medicines that you take. Check with your health care provider before you start, stop, or change the dose of any medicine.

How to use Captopril :

Use Captopril as directed by your doctor. Check the label on the medicine for exact dosing instructions.

• Take Captopril 1 hour before meals, on an empty stomach.
• Captopril works best if it is taken at the same time each day.
• Continue to use Captopril even if you feel well. Do not miss any doses.
• If you miss a dose of Captopril , take it as soon as possible. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not take 2 doses at once.

Ask your health care provider any questions you may have about how to use Captopril.

Important safety information:

• Captopril may cause dizziness or lightheadedness. Do not drive, operate machinery, or do anything else that could be dangerous until you know how you react to Captopril. Using Captopril alone, with certain other medicines, or with alcohol may lessen your ability to drive or to perform other potentially dangerous tasks.
• Dizziness or lightheadedness may occur if you stand up too fast from a lying or sitting position. If this occurs, get up slowly and avoid sudden changes in posture. If lightheadedness occurs, especially during the first few days of treatment, contact your health care provider.
• Patients being treated for high blood pressure often feel tired or run down for a few weeks after beginning therapy. Continue taking your medicine even though you may feel quite "normal." Contact your doctor or pharmacist about any new symptoms.
• Black patients are at higher risk for certain side effects, and may not respond as well to Captopril as patients of other races. If your symptoms do not improve or worsen while on Captopril , contact your doctor.
• Patients being treated for high blood pressure should avoid using nonprescription medicines that contain stimulants such as products used for dieting (appetite suppressants) or for cold symptoms (eg, pseudoephedrine).
• Do not use a salt-substitute or a potassium supplement without checking with your doctor.
• Diabetes patients - Captopril may interfere with urine tests for ketones and may give inaccurate test results. Check with your doctor before you adjust your dose of your diabetes medicine or change your diet.
• LAB TESTS, such as blood pressure monitoring, blood potassium or other electrolyte levels, and urine tests, may be performed to monitor your condition. Be sure to keep all doctor and lab appointments.
• Use Captopril with extreme caution in CHILDREN; safety and effectiveness have not been confirmed.
• PREGNANCY and BREAST-FEEDING: When Captopril is used after the third month of pregnancy, it can cause injury or even death to the fetus. If you think you may be pregnant, contact your doctor immediately. Captopril is excreted in breast milk. Do not breast-feed while taking Captopril.

Possible side effects of Captopril :

All medicines may cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor, side effects. Check with your doctor if any of these most COMMON side effects persist or become bothersome:

Cough; diarrhea; dizziness or lightheadedness when sitting or standing quickly; fatigue; fever; headache; itching; joint pain; nausea; taste changes; vomiting; weakness.

Seek medical attention right away if any of these SEVERE side effects occur:

Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); any signs of infection such as fever or sore throat; chest pain; difficulty swallowing; fainting; irregular or slow heartbeat; yellowing of the skin or eyes.

What is the shelf life of the pills?

• The expiry date is mentioned on each blister. It is different for different batches. The shelf life is 2 years from the date of manufacture and would differ from batch to batch depending on when they were manufactured.

Other Useful Information:

Radiation: 1. Rays of energy. Gamma rays and X-rays are two of the types of energy waves often used in medicine. 2. The use of energy waves to diagnose or treat disease.

Replantation: 1. Literally, the act of planting again. 2. In surgery, the restoration of any part of the body to its original site. Also known as reimplantation.

The Chinese surgeon Zhong Wei Chen (1929-2004) was the "father of replantation." Dr. Chen was the first to reattach a severed hand with success which he did in 1963. Dr. Chen also developed many microsurgical procedures including techniques for preserving severed extremities, reattaching amputated fingers and thumbs, reconstructing muscles and repairing nerves and blood vessels.

Rheumatism: Rheumatism is an older term, used to describe any of a number of painful conditions of muscles, tendons, joints, and bones.

Rheumatism conditions have been classified as either localized, regional, or generalized. Localized rheumatism conditions include bursitis and tendinitis. Regional rheumatism conditions include chest wall pain, temporomandibular joint pain, and myofascial pain syndromes. Generalized rheumatism conditions include fibromyalgia.

Another category of rheumatism is psychogenic rheumatism. With this term it is understood that the patient is reporting inconsistent pains of muscles and joints that do not correspond to true anatomy and physiology. The patient is felt to have underlying psychological causes for the symptoms.

Rheumatology: A subspecialty of internal medicine that involves the non-surgical evaluation and treatment of the rheumatic diseases and conditions. Rheumatic diseases and conditions are characterized by symptoms involving the musculoskeletal system. Many of the rheumatic diseases and conditions feature immune system abnormalities. Therefore, rheumatology also involves the study of the immune system. Classical rheumatology training includes 4 years of medical school, 1 year of internship in internal medicine, 2 years of internal medicine residency, and 2 years of rheumatology fellowship. There is a subspecialty board for rheumatology certification. The American College of Rheumatology is the official organization acting on behalf of the field of rheumatology in the United States.

T cell: A type of white blood cell that is of key importance to the immune system and is at the core of adaptive immunity, the system that tailors the body's immune response to specific pathogens. The T cells are like soldiers who search out and destroy the targeted invaders.

Immature T cells (termed T-stem cells) migrate to the thymus gland in the neck, where they mature and differentiate into various types of mature T cells and become active in the immune system in response to a hormone called thymosin and other factors. T-cells that are potentially activated against the body's own tissues are normally killed or changed ("down-regulated") during this maturational process.

There are several different types of mature T cells. Not all of their functions are known. T cells can produce substances called cytokines such as the interleukins which further stimulate the immune response. T-cell activation is measured as a way to assess the health of patients with HIV/AIDS and less frequently in other disorders.

T cell are also known as T lymphocytes. The "T" stands for "thymus" -- the organ in which these cells mature. As opposed to B cells which mature in the bone marrow.

Teleology: The study of the ultimate purpose of the design of something in nature.

For example, "what is the true purpose of the nose?" is a teleological question and, to say that all evolutionary changes occur for a definite purpose is a teleological explanation of evolution.

"Teleology" comes from ancient Greek roots but it (and teleological) did not enter English until the 18th century. It is a compound of the Greek "tele-, telos," meaning "end or purpose" + the ending "logos" meaning "the science or study of" = the study of the ends or purposes.

Testosterone: A "male hormone" -- a sex hormone produced by the testes that encourages the development of male sexual characteristics, stimulates the activity of the male secondary sex characteristics, and prevents changes in them following castration. Chemically, testosterone is 17-beta-hydroxy-4-androstene-3-one.

Testosterone is the most potent of the naturally occurring androgens. The androgens cause the development of male sex characteristics, such as a deep voice and a beard; they also strengthen muscle tone and bone mass.

High levels of testosterone appear to promote good health in men, for example, lowering the risks of high blood pressure and heart attack. High testosterone levels also correlate with risky behavior, however, including increased aggressiveness and smoking, which may cancel out these health benefits.

Testosterone may be given to treat medical conditions, including female (but not male) breast cancer, hypogonadism (low gonadal function) in the male, cryptorchism (nondescent of the testis into the scrotum), and menorrhagia (irregular periods).