Ramipril Dosing: An Introduction
The dose of
ramipril (
Altace®) your healthcare provider prescribes will vary depending on a number of factors, including:
- Your age
- The medical condition you are being treated for
- Other medical conditions you may have
- Other medications you may be currently taking.
As always, do not adjust your dose unless your healthcare provider specifically instructs you to do so.
If you are over 65 years of age, your healthcare provider may choose to monitor your dosing adjustments more cautiously.
Dosing for Ramipril and High Blood Pressure
The recommended starting dosage of ramipril medicine for people with
high blood pressure (
hypertension) is ramipril 2.5 mg once a day. Based on the
blood pressure response and/or
ramipril side effects, the ramipril dosage may be increased or decreased. Your healthcare provider may also add a diuretic (water pill) if your blood pressure is not controlled by ramipril alone. The average ramipril dose is ramipril 2.5 mg to ramipril 20 mg either once a day or in two equally divided doses.
If you have hypertension and are already taking a diuretic, your healthcare provider may instruct you to stop the diuretic before starting the ramipril. If you cannot stop the diuretic because of other medical reasons, your healthcare provider may choose to start you on a lower dose of ramipril, such as ramipril 1.25 mg, under close medical supervision.
If you have kidney disease or kidney failure, your healthcare provider may start you on a lower ramipril dose, depending on the severity of your kidney disease.
