2 weeks ago my doctor put me on Ramipril 1.25 as a start in the quest to reduce my high blood pressure.

She said not to expect much reduction and to return in a month; this I gather is normal. As I'm 70 she had wanted to start me on a calcium channel blocker but I am a grapefruit fan so she put me on Ramipril which I believe is normally used as a first step for people under 55 yrs. Anyway it is a low dose and I have no side effects. If she decides to change me to a ccb are there any that are compatible with grapefruit? What is likely to happen if I continue to eat grapefruit for breakfas?. Of course she may just raise the Ramipril dose or add a diuretic or whatever they do. I would really hate to have to give up grapefruit.

[Aliwally]

nhs.uk/chq/pages/2474.aspx?...

Hate to tell you this Gardengnome, but according to above website, ramapril is on the list as well. NHS have put it as a calcium channel blocker, which it isn't, so maybe it's a mistake and they should know better!.

I have just looked at my husband's packet of amiodipine and that has the sticker about grapefruit on it. I think grapefruit raises the levels of the drug , but maybe as you are on such a small dose it wouldn't matter. That of course is my laywoman's opinion, not a medical one.

[Aliwally]

Don't panic gardengnome! I think the above website is misleading. There is a drug called felodipine which is combined with ramipril to make a branded drug . Felodipine is a calcium channel blocker so it's that combined with ramipril that you shouldn't take with grapefruit.

Another example of checking information on the web.

[Hidden]

Thanks Aliwally, I did read all the bumf that came with the packet, usually I'd just bin it along with the packet but thought in this case I should be more careful. Looked on the NHS site and saw the ref. to Ramipril - I'm sure that is a mistake, I've had grapefruit every day since with no side effects but want to be prepared when it comes to the next stage. There doesn't seem to be much science in what they prescribe, just a case of 'suck it and see' and I do wonder where all this is going, I bought my own monitor as son-i-law said I'd need it eventually and I take the bp early a.m. and late evening. It averaged over a week at 174/92 which is even higher than the 24 hr thing [that was 160/90]. I feel trapped in the system and cross as a wasp :( I've never been a pill popper. And how unfair is it when I took the husband's bp and it was 105/50. He's 81 yrs, piles salt on food as he likes the crunch and eats butter and cream as if there was no tomorrow

[Anglofranco]

Watch out for a cough with Ramipril, had to change after 3 months because I was driving everyone nuts with the constant dry cough.

[Hidden in reply to Anglofranco]

I have started with an irritating dry cough but wondered if it could be the ramipril as I'm only on the lowest dose at present [1.25mg]. Thought it might be coincidence?

[Anglofranco in reply to Hidden]

No coincidence, I thought mine was to do with reflux 3 weeks after I changed the cough stopped.