Quinapril

What is on this page?

• What is quinapril?
• How does quinapril work?
• Which conditions is quinapril used or studied for?
• How is quinapril given?
• What do the clinical trials show?
• What side effects are known?

What is quinapril?

Quinapril is a chemically synthesised substance that belongs to a class of medicines called angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors.^[2] It is the ethyl ester of quinaprilat, a non-sulfhydryl ACE inhibitor.^[2] In the registry records of the trials on this page, the substance appears under the name QUINAPRIL.^[1] Quinapril is an authorised medicine, meaning it has received marketing authorisation.^[1] In the trial data, quinapril is listed as the tested substance in two trial records, which means it is the medicine being investigated.^[1]

How does quinapril work?

Quinapril works by blocking the angiotensin-converting enzyme. This enzyme is part of a system in the body that controls blood pressure and fluid balance. By blocking this enzyme, quinapril helps blood vessels relax and widen, which lowers blood pressure and reduces the workload on the heart.^[2] The active form of the medicine is quinaprilat, which is formed from quinapril in the body.^[2]

Which conditions is quinapril used or studied for?

• Heart failure — a condition in which the heart cannot pump blood as well as it should. The Phase 3 trial on this page is studying quinapril as part of a group of medicines used for heart failure.^[1]

How is quinapril given?

In the trial data, quinapril is given by buccal use, which means the medicine is placed in the cheek or mouth area.^[1] The trial lists quinapril at doses of 20 mg and 40 mg.^[1] According to its product label, quinapril is available as film-coated tablets for oral administration in strengths of 5 mg, 10 mg, 20 mg, and 40 mg.^[2]

What do the clinical trials show?

One clinical trial involving quinapril is described in the data on this page. It is a Phase 3 interventional study in heart failure, and its status is authorised.^[1] The trial plans to enrol 368 participants.^[1]

The trial has two parts. A retrospective part looks at national registry data to describe how heart failure medicines are currently prescribed and whether there are differences between men and women.^[1] A prospective part compares up-titration of heart failure medicines, following a specific programme, with usual care in women with heart failure over 12 months.^[1]

The main things the prospective part measures are death from any cause within one year, readmission to hospital for heart failure, or worsening heart failure.^[1] The trial also looks at quality of life, whether people stick to their medicine, and side effects.^[1] Quinapril is one of many heart medicines listed in the trial, alongside other ACE inhibitors, beta blockers, and other drug classes.^[1]

What side effects are known?

The product label for quinapril carries a boxed warning about fetal toxicity. When pregnancy is detected, quinapril should be stopped as soon as possible, because medicines that act directly on the renin-angiotensin system can cause injury and death to the developing fetus.^[2]