Trandolapril is an ACE inhibitor used to treat high blood pressure. It may also be used to treat other conditions. It is similar in structure to another ramipril but has a cyclohexane group. It is a prodrug that must be metabolized into its active form. It has a longer half-life when compared to other agents in this class.
It was patented in 1981 and approved for medical use in 1993.[1] It is marketed by Abbott Laboratories under the brand name Mavik.
Patients also on diuretics may experience an excessive reduction of blood pressure after initiation of therapy with trandolapril. It can reduce potassium loss caused by thiazide diuretics and increase serum potassium when used alone. Therefore, hyperkalemia is a possible risk. Increased serum lithium levels can occur in patients who are also on lithium.
Trandolapril is teratogenic (US: pregnancy category D) and can cause birth defects and even death of the developing fetus. The highest risk to the fetus is during the second and third trimesters. When pregnancy is detected, trandolapril should be discontinued as soon as possible. Trandolapril should not be administered to nursing mothers.
Trandolaprilat — the active metabolite of trandolapril
Trandolapril is a prodrug that is deesterified to trandolaprilat. It is believed to exert its antihypertensive effect through the renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system. Trandolapril has a half-life of about six hours, while trandolaprilat has a half life of about ten hours. Trandolaprilat has about eight times the activity of its parent drug. About one-third of trandolapril and its metabolites are excreted in the urine, and about two-thirds of trandolapril and its metabolites are excreted in the feces. Serum protein binding of trandolapril is about 80%.
