Perindopril and Amlodipine and CHF

ACE inhibitors can cause marked renal impairment in patients whose renal function depends on the activity of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system. In addition, symptomatic and sometimes excessive hypotension can occur in susceptible individuals, particularly during the initiation of treatment, which may compromise renal and myocardial perfusion. In patients with severe congestive heart failure (CHF), treatment with ACE inhibitors may be associated with oliguria and/or progressive azotemia and, rarely, renal failure, myocardial ischemia and death. Therapy with ACE inhibitors should be initiated under very close medical supervision in patients with severe CHF, especially when accompanied by volume and/or sodium depletion. Patients should be monitored closely for several hours after an initial dose until blood pressure has stabilized, and followed closely for the first 2 weeks of treatment and whenever the dosage of ACE inhibitor or diuretic is increased. If feasible, the risk of severe hypotension may be minimized by reducing or temporarily withholding the dosing of diuretics and/or liberalizing dietary sodium intake for 2 to 3 days prior to starting ACE inhibitor therapy. In patients who experience a worsening of renal function, discontinuation of ACE inhibitor therapy is usually not required provided there is symptomatic improvement of the heart failure and renal deterioration is well-tolerated. Transient hypotension is also not a contraindication to further treatment with ACE inhibitors. After blood pressure stabilizes, therapy can usually be reinstated with caution, although a lower dosage of the ACE inhibitor and/or dosage reduction or discontinuation of concomitantly administered diuretics may be necessary.