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One selection filters the source overview, clinical facts, reports and dose calculator. Literature references are not species-filtered.
Choose one species for its overview and dose calculator, or all species to browse the full evidence.
Source overview
Recorded excerpts for one species. Each dose remains a separate source entry; no regimen is selected.
Choose one species to view its source overview. All-species evidence remains available below.
View full clinical evidence and sources ↓Clinical evidence
Pending clinical review (PROPOSED)Rule-based (RULE_BASED)— applies to the facts and dose entries in this species selection; individual source records retain their own status.
Indications2
Systemic hypertension (usually secondary to CKD, hyperthyroidism, cardiac disease) — drug of choice for most clinicians
CatExtra-label (EXTRA_LABEL)1 source record · View provenance
- Cat · Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 7th ed., p. 79–82; Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs (Papich), 4th ed., p. 35–36 — Indications table · Not applicable · Extra-label (EXTRA_LABEL) · Pending clinical review (PROPOSED) · Rule-based
Original excerpt: Systemic hypertension (usually secondary to CKD, hyperthyroidism, cardiac disease) — drug of choice for most clinicians — Extra-label (human drug)
- Cat · Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 7th ed., p. 79–82; Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs (Papich), 4th ed., p. 35–36 — Indications table · Not applicable · Extra-label (EXTRA_LABEL) · Pending clinical review (PROPOSED) · Rule-based
Systemic hypertension (e.g., chronic renal disease); adjunctive afterload reducer in refractory CHF from mitral valve degeneration
DogExtra-label (EXTRA_LABEL)1 source record · View provenance
- Dog · Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 7th ed., p. 79–82; Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs (Papich), 4th ed., p. 35–36 — Indications table · Not applicable · Extra-label (EXTRA_LABEL) · Pending clinical review (PROPOSED) · Rule-based
Original excerpt: Systemic hypertension (e.g., chronic renal disease); adjunctive afterload reducer in refractory CHF from mitral valve degeneration — Extra-label
- Dog · Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 7th ed., p. 79–82; Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs (Papich), 4th ed., p. 35–36 — Indications table · Not applicable · Extra-label (EXTRA_LABEL) · Pending clinical review (PROPOSED) · Rule-based
Dose regimens4
This calculator performs arithmetic only on the sourced dosing field shown for each result — it does not verify the field's accuracy, does not select which field to use for a patient, and does not replace a veterinarian's order. Not for clinical use. Confirm every result against the primary source before dispensing.
Choose one species above to view its dose calculator.
Adverse effects203
Hypotension, azotemia, lethargy, hypokalemia, reflex tachycardia, weight loss — Infrequent (slow onset limits acute hypotension)
CatNot applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE)1 source record · View provenance
- Cat · Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 7th ed., p. 79–82; Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs (Papich), 4th ed., p. 35–36 — Side Effects / Adverse Effects table · Not applicable · Not applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE) · Pending clinical review (PROPOSED) · Rule-based
Gingival hyperplasia — Long-term use; resolves on discontinuation
DogNot applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE)1 source record · View provenance
- Dog · Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 7th ed., p. 79–82; Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs (Papich), 4th ed., p. 35–36 — Side Effects / Adverse Effects table · Not applicable · Not applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE) · Pending clinical review (PROPOSED) · Rule-based
Anorexia early in therapy — Possible
CatNot applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE)1 source record · View provenance
- Cat · Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 7th ed., p. 79–82; Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs (Papich), 4th ed., p. 35–36 — Side Effects / Adverse Effects table · Not applicable · Not applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE) · Pending clinical review (PROPOSED) · Rule-based
These are counts of spontaneously reported events, not proven adverse effects, causal relationships, or incidence rates.
Bars compare report counts within each species; they do not show incidence.
More reportsFewer reportsDog
- Diarrhoea54 reports
- Vomiting52 reports
- Lethargy (see also Central nervous system depression in 'Neurological')47 reports
- Elevated blood urea nitrogen (BUN)46 reports
- Decreased appetite45 reports
- Death by euthanasia42 reports
- Hyperkalaemia32 reports
- Anorexia28 reports
- Elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT)28 reports
- Elevated creatinine28 reports
- Weight loss28 reports
- Lethargy (see also Central nervous system depression in Neurological)27 reports
Cat
- Vomiting59 reports
- Weight loss52 reports
- Lack of efficacy - NOS45 reports
- Death by euthanasia40 reports
- Diarrhoea40 reports
- Lethargy (see also Central nervous system depression in Neurological)38 reports
- Anorexia36 reports
- Not eating30 reports
- Ataxia29 reports
- Elevated creatinine27 reports
- Death24 reports
- Decreased appetite24 reports
Monitoring1
Systolic/diastolic blood pressure (goal in cats: systolic <150 mmHg); renal values (azotemia); potassium; oral exam (dogs on chronic therapy)
Species not recordedNot applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE)1 source record · View provenance
- Species not recorded · Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 7th ed., p. 79–82; Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs (Papich), 4th ed., p. 35–36 — Monitoring Parameters · Not applicable · Not applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE) · Pending clinical review (PROPOSED) · Rule-based
Precautions6
Slight negative inotrope — caution in heart failure/cardiogenic shock, advanced aortic stenosis, hepatic disease, dehydration, patients at risk of hypotension
Species not recordedNot applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE)1 source record · View provenance
- Species not recorded · Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 7th ed., p. 79–82; Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs (Papich), 4th ed., p. 35–36 — Contraindications & Warnings table · Not applicable · Not applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE) · Pending clinical review (PROPOSED) · Rule-based
Monotherapy in renal-disease cats may raise intraglomerular pressure via RAAS activation — ACE-inhibitor co-therapy debated but often considered in proteinuric patients
Species not recordedNot applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE)1 source record · View provenance
- Species not recorded · Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 7th ed., p. 79–82; Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs (Papich), 4th ed., p. 35–36 — Contraindications & Warnings table · Not applicable · Not applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE) · Pending clinical review (PROPOSED) · Rule-based
Cat hypertension target: start 0.625 mg/cat q24h, double only after 1–2 weeks if systolic still >160 mmHg. Missing doses → hypertension rapidly recurs.
Species not recordedNot applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE)1 source record · View provenance
- Species not recorded · Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 7th ed., p. 79–82; Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs (Papich), 4th ed., p. 35–36 — Clinical pearl · Not applicable · Not applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE) · Pending clinical review (PROPOSED) · Rule-based
Cats respond better to amlodipine than to ACE inhibitors; dogs are the opposite (amlodipine disappointing as monotherapy, partly because it activates RAAS at higher doses).
Species not recordedNot applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE)1 source record · View provenance
- Species not recorded · Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 7th ed., p. 79–82; Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs (Papich), 4th ed., p. 35–36 — Clinical pearl · Not applicable · Not applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE) · Pending clinical review (PROPOSED) · Rule-based
~50% of cats acutely blind from hypertension may regain some vision if treatment starts promptly.
Species not recordedNot applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE)1 source record · View provenance
- Species not recorded · Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 7th ed., p. 79–82; Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs (Papich), 4th ed., p. 35–36 — Clinical pearl · Not applicable · Not applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE) · Pending clinical review (PROPOSED) · Rule-based
Interactions2
Diuretics, beta-blockers, other vasodilators, fentanyl — Additive hypotension
Species not recordedNot applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE)1 source record · View provenance
- Species not recorded · Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 7th ed., p. 79–82; Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs (Papich), 4th ed., p. 35–36 — Drug Interactions table · Not applicable · Not applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE) · Pending clinical review (PROPOSED) · Rule-based
Grapefruit juice — May alter bioavailability
Species not recordedNot applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE)1 source record · View provenance
- Species not recorded · Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 7th ed., p. 79–82; Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs (Papich), 4th ed., p. 35–36 — Drug Interactions table · Not applicable · Not applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE) · Pending clinical review (PROPOSED) · Rule-based
Pharmacokinetics5
Bioavailability — Slow, almost complete oral absorption
Other speciesNot applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE)1 source record · View provenance
- Other species · Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 7th ed., p. 79–82; Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs (Papich), 4th ed., p. 35–36 — Pharmacokinetics table · Not applicable · Not applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE) · Pending clinical review (PROPOSED) · Rule-based
Protein binding — ~93%
Other speciesNot applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE)1 source record · View provenance
- Other species · Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 7th ed., p. 79–82; Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs (Papich), 4th ed., p. 35–36 — Pharmacokinetics table · Not applicable · Not applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE) · Pending clinical review (PROPOSED) · Rule-based
Half-life — ~30 h (dog); ~35 h (healthy human), prolonged in elderly/hepatic dysfunction
Species not recordedNot applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE)1 source record · View provenance
- Species not recorded · Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 7th ed., p. 79–82; Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs (Papich), 4th ed., p. 35–36 — Pharmacokinetics table · Not applicable · Not applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE) · Pending clinical review (PROPOSED) · Rule-based
Onset/duration — BP effect in cats within ~4 h, persists ~30 h
Other speciesNot applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE)1 source record · View provenance
- Other species · Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 7th ed., p. 79–82; Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs (Papich), 4th ed., p. 35–36 — Pharmacokinetics table · Not applicable · Not applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE) · Pending clinical review (PROPOSED) · Rule-based
Metabolism — Extensive hepatic → inactive metabolites
Other speciesNot applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE)1 source record · View provenance
- Other species · Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 7th ed., p. 79–82; Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs (Papich), 4th ed., p. 35–36 — Pharmacokinetics table · Not applicable · Not applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE) · Pending clinical review (PROPOSED) · Rule-based
Pregnancy / lactation considerations1
Human FDA category C; fetotoxic (increased intrauterine deaths) at very high doses in lab animals; no teratogenicity demonstrated. Prolonged labor in rats. Unknown if enters milk — caution in nursing.
Species not recordedNot applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE)1 source record · View provenance
- Species not recorded · Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 7th ed., p. 79–82; Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs (Papich), 4th ed., p. 35–36 — Pregnancy & Lactation · Not applicable · Not applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE) · Pending clinical review (PROPOSED) · Rule-based
Literature references20
References are linked to this drug. Species applicability is not recorded here, so the species filter does not narrow this list. Imported dates do not retain their original precision; confirm dates in the original citation.
- Evaluation of the translation of multiple cardiovascular regulatory mechanisms in the anesthetized dog.
Study summary not available in the imported record. Open the original citation to review the study.
- Decoding cytokine interactions for psoriasis therapy through computational repurposing of antihypertensive drugs.
Study summary not available in the imported record. Open the original citation to review the study.
- Isoniazid subverting erythrocyte homeostasis: implications for tuberculosis therapy.
Study summary not available in the imported record. Open the original citation to review the study.
- Systemic gene expression mapping of voltage-gated calcium channel α1-subunits in cats.
Study summary not available in the imported record. Open the original citation to review the study.
- Assessment of clinically relevant drugs as feline P-glycoprotein substrates.
Study summary not available in the imported record. Open the original citation to review the study.
Sources: PubMed, National Library of Medicine; openFDA, U.S. Food and Drug Administration; Plumb DC. Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook. 7th ed. PharmaVet Inc; 2011.
Owner information handout
Plain-language medication information to review with the owner. Open the handout to print it or download a PDF.
Available products
Products listed in the Health Canada Drug Product Database for this active ingredient. A listing does not establish that a product is authorized for the clinical uses described on this page.