Spironolactone with Enalapril alternative?

[Rebel1961]

Hello,

My 96 year old mum was diagnosed with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation 2 years ago. She has had chronic kidney disease for several years. She was already taking enalapril for high blood pressure. A cardiac nurse prescribed Bisoprolol, edoxaban and Spironolactone for the atrial fibrillation. Two weeks ago a routine blood test showed elevated potassium levels, and the doctor took her off Spironolactone. Since then she has shown signs of leg swelling, particularly the lower legs and her face seems fuller. I told her doctor about this yesterday and she said her potassium levels have reduced to 5.5 and to put her back on Spironolactone. This I did, and a few hours later she became unsettled and felt nervous and didn’t know why. Something told me to google Enalapril taken with Spironolactone, and I was concerned to discover that this combination raises potassium levels in the blood, which can cause hyperkalemia and can be fatal.

Is there a safer alternative to Enalapril that can be used with Spironolactone please?

Thank you in advance 🙏🏻

[Hidden]

please talk to the pharmacist employed at your doc’s group of surgeries, failing that the dispensing pharmacist or the doctor.

[Deejay62]

I agree with happyrosie 1. I was actually taken off of perindopril and some other meds when the heart failure nurse put me on spironolactone 6/7 yrs ago. I was put on a cocktail of drugs. I was asked if I liked bananas, which I don’t, so she put me on that drug. You need proper advice with your Gp pharmacist, if you have one, or your dispensary about interaction between those drugs then you can speak to your doctor regarding what they tell you. Most doctors don’t have a clue about interactions between drugs.

[Callista]

I have been on Spirolactone for some time with no problem but I am not on the other drugs your mum takes. It is a minefield as every doctor/nurse seems to have their favourite drugs and you land up on a cocktail and no one ever takes you off anything. I give them a try and take them so long as the side effects are not too drastic. It has worked so far as I have arrhythmia and it is 9 years since my first SCA. I have fought my way off betablockers and statins but everyone is different.