ZOFECARD

Zofecard is a drug containing the active substance zofenopril, an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor, which is used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension) and for therapy after an acute myocardial infarction.

Composition and pharmaceutical form

Zofecard is available as film-coated tablets in different strengths:

7.5 mg: white, round film-coated tablets with convex surfaces.

15 mg: white, round film-coated tablets with convex surfaces.

30 mg: white, oblong film-coated tablet with a score line on both sides.

Packages usually consist of 14 or 28 tablets in blisters.

Indications

Essential hypertension: Used to treat mild to moderate essential hypertension.

Acute myocardial infarction: Used for therapy initiated within the first 24 hours in patients with acute myocardial infarction, with or without signs and symptoms of heart failure, who are hemodynamically stable and not receiving thrombolytic therapy.

Dosage

For hypertension:

The recommended starting dose is 15 mg once a day.

The dose can be gradually increased at intervals of 4 weeks until optimal blood pressure is reached.

The maximum dose is 60 mg per day, which can be administered as a single dose or divided into two doses.

For acute myocardial infarction:

Therapy should be started within the first 24 hours of the onset of symptoms.

First and second day: 7.5 mg twice a day.

Third and fourth day: 15 mg twice a day.

From the fifth day onwards: 30 mg twice a day, with continuous use for 6 weeks.

Possible side effects

Like all medicines, Zofecard can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them. The most common side effects include:

fatigue

nausea and/or vomiting

dizziness

headache

cough

Occasional side effects may include:

general weakness

muscle cramps

skin rash

Rare side effects may include:

angioedema (sudden swelling and itching, especially of the face, mouth and throat, with the possibility of difficulty breathing).

In addition to the side effects reported for Zofecard, the side effects reported for ACE inhibitors are listed:

After starting treatment or increasing the dose, a strong decrease in blood pressure was noted, accompanied by dizziness, a feeling of weakness, impaired vision, rarely with a short-term loss of consciousness.

Rare side effects may include:

depression, mood swings, sleep disturbance, state of confusion,

blurred vision,

ringing in the ears (tinnitus),

facial redness,

difficulty breathing (dyspnea), inflammation of the sinuses (sinusitis), stuffy or runny nose (rhinitis),

inflammation of the tongue (glossitis), inflammation of the airways (bronchitis), narrowing of the airways in the lungs (bronchospasm),

increased sweating (hyperhidrosis),

urinary disorders,

inability to achieve an erection in men (impotence).

Very rare side effects may include:

low blood sugar (hypoglycemia),

angioedema of the small intestine (attacks of severe abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea caused by swelling of the intestinal wall),

accumulation of fluid in the feet and legs, usually around the ankles (peripheral oedema),

chest pain.

Other possible side effects include:

spontaneous sensation of tingling, pricking, tingling, burning in some part of the body (paresthesia),

taste disorder (dysgeusia),

balance disorder,

stomach pain, diarrhea, constipation, dry mouth,

allergic reactions and hypersensitivity reactions such as itching of the skin, hives (urticaria), erythema multiforme (red raised spots on the skin that often look like targets and are usually symmetrically distributed on the body), toxic epidermal necrolysis and Stevens-Johnson syndrome (skin peeling, redness, separation of the upper layer of the skin and blisters on the skin), psoriasis-like rash (a skin disease characterized by the appearance of scaly patches of pink color),

hair loss (alopecia),

muscle aches,

changes in blood analysis findings: such as a decrease in neutrophils - blood cells that participate in the body's defense against bacterial infections (agranulocytosis), a reduced number of red and white blood cells cells and platelets (pancytopenia).

Contact your doctor if you notice any of these side effects.

Contraindications and warnings

Zofecard must not be used if you have:

allergy to zofenopril or any other component of the drug,

severe impairment of liver function,

narrowing of the renal arteries on both sides,

pregnancy (especially in the second and third trimester),

if you are a woman of reproductive age, unless you are using reliable methods of contraception,

if you have diabetes or impaired kidney function and are being treated with a blood pressure lowering medicine containing aliskiren.

Also, it should be used with caution in patients with heart, liver or electrolyte imbalance. It is recommended to avoid the combination with drugs that prolong the QT interval or with other drugs that increase serotonin levels.

Use in pregnancy and breastfeeding

The use of Zofecard during pregnancy is not recommended, unless the doctor judges that the benefit to the mother outweighs the potential risk to the fetus.Use during breastfeeding is not recommended without consulting a doctor.

Zofecard is an effective drug for the treatment of hypertension and therapy after an acute myocardial infarction, but it must be used with caution and under the supervision of a doctor. If you have any questions or concerns about the use of Zofecard, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

The sale of this medicine via the Internet is prohibited by the law of the Republic of Serbia, while advertising it via the Internet is allowed only as a reminder and has the purpose of information.

You can get more information about this medicine (manufacturer, action, composition, method of use) from our pharmacist via email info@apotekaonline.rs, or from your doctor as well as from the manufacturer of the medicine.

REGULATIONS ON THE METHOD OF ADVERTISING MEDICINES, OR MEDICINES Sl. Ch. RS", No. 79/2010 YOU CAN SEE IT HERE.