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eplerenone
Used for Heart Failure, Hypertension
Used for Heart Failure, Hypertension
Eplerenone (Inspra) is a medication that’s used to treat high blood pressure and improve survival among people with heart failure after a heart attack. It comes as an oral tablet that can be taken alone or in combination with other medications. Look out for side effects including dizziness, nausea, cough, and shortness of breath. Eplerenone (Inspra) is available as a generic tablet and also under the brand name Inspra.
What is Eplerenone (Inspra)?
What is Eplerenone (Inspra) used for?
- Heart failure after a heart attack
- High blood pressure
How Eplerenone (Inspra) works
Eplerenone (Inspra) is a mineralocorticoid (aldosterone) antagonist. Aldosterone is a natural hormone in the body that normally raises your blood pressure by increasing the amount of salt and water in your bloodstream. So by blocking aldosterone, eplerenone (Inspra) helps your body get rid of extra salt and water, which then lowers your blood pressure.
It’s unclear how exactly eplerenone (Inspra) helps with heart failure. But it’s thought that the medication helps protect the heart. This will help reduce the risk of death in people with heart failure.
Drug facts
| Common Brands | Inspra |
|---|---|
| Drug Class | Aldosterone receptor antagonist |
| Controlled Substance Classification | Not a controlled medication |
| Generic Status | Lower-cost generic available |
| Availability | Prescription only |
Side effects of Eplerenone (Inspra)
The following side effects may get better over time as your body gets used to the medication. Let your healthcare provider know immediately if you continue to experience these symptoms or if they worsen over time.
Common Side Effects
- Digestive system problems (20%)
- Nervous system problems (15%)
- Urinary tract problems (14%)
- Shortness of breath (7%)
- Skin problems (7%)
- Mental health problems (7%)
- Cough (5%)
Less Common Side Effects
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Chest pain or heart attack
- Enlargement of male breasts (gynecomastia)
- Abnormal vaginal bleeding
Eplerenone (Inspra) serious side effects
Contact your healthcare provider immediately if you experience any of the following.
- High potassium (hyperkalemia): irregular heart beat, nausea, muscle pain and weakness, numbness and tingling
The following Eplerenone (Inspra) side effects have also been reported
Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.
Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur:
Incidence not known
Abdominal or stomach pain
arm, back, or jaw pain
chest pain or discomfort
chest tightness or heaviness
confusion
difficulty with breathing
dizziness
fast or irregular heartbeat
headache
irregular heartbeat
large, hive-like swelling on the face, eyelids, lips, tongue, throat, hands, legs, feet, or sex organs
nervousness
numbness or tingling in the hands, feet, or lips
pain or discomfort in the arms, jaw, back, or neck
rash
shortness of breath
sweating
vomiting
weakness or heaviness of the legs
Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:
Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
Get your GoodRx coupon
$91.06
GoodRx discount
$23.72
Pros and cons of Eplerenone (Inspra)
Pros
- Improves survival for people with heart failure after a heart attack
- Fewer side effects than spironolactone
- Typically once daily dosing
Cons
- Have to get regular blood tests while taking the medication to check for high potassium levels
- Not safe to use with severe kidney problems
- Isn’t a first-choice medication for high blood pressure or heart failure
Pharmacist tips for Eplerenone (Inspra)
- Eplerenone (Inspra) can be taken with or without food, and it’s best to take it around the same time every day.
- Following a low sodium diet while using eplerenone (Inspra) is a good option to help lower blood pressure. If you’re using salt substitutes, be sure to choose salt substitutes that don’t have potassium to lower the chance of having high potassium levels with eplerenone (Inspra). Also, don’t use any potassium supplements while taking this medication since this can also lead to high potassium levels
- To prevent high potassium levels, you’ll need regular blood work to check your potassium levels while taking eplerenone (Inspra). Typically, you’ll get blood work done before starting this medication, within the first week, at one month, or whenever the dose is changed. If you start taking certain medications (e.g., ACE inhibitors, ARBS, or NSAIDs) you’ll also need to have your potassium and creatinine levels checked within 1 week.
- When eplerenone (Inspra) is used in combination with certain blood pressure medications (e.g., ACE inhibitors, ARBs, and NSAIDs), there is a greater risk for high levels of potassium in your blood. So it’s important to tell your healthcare provider if you’re also taking any of these medications.
- Though rare, eplerenone (Inspra) can cause an increase in breast tenderness and size in men. If this becomes bothersome, speak to your healthcare provider.
- Eplerenone (Inspra) doesn’t work immediately. In fact, you might notice a drop in your blood pressure in as soon as 2 weeks. But it does take about 4 weeks to see the full effect of this medication. So it’s important to keep taking this medication even if you don’t feel any changes. You might want to monitor your blood pressure at home while using this medication.
Risks and warnings for Eplerenone (Inspra)
Eplerenone (Inspra) can cause some serious health issues. This risk may be even higher for certain groups. If this worries you, talk to your doctor or pharmacist about other options.
High potassium (hyperkalemia)
- Risk factors: Current kidney problems | Diabetes | Taking other medications that can increase potassium | Taking other medications that interact with eplerenone (Inspra)
Eplerenone (Inspra) can cause high potassium levels in the blood. Very high potassium levels can cause changes in heart rhythm. In emergency situations, it can cause the heart to stop beating. Your risk is higher if you have kidney problems, have diabetes, or are taking other medications that interact with eplerenone (Inspra) (e.g., ACE inhibitors, ARBs, NSAIDs). It’s important to report any sudden changes in numbness or tingling, nausea, or muscle weakness. If this is something that you experience, call your healthcare provider to let them know, they might suggest lowering your dose.
Eplerenone (Inspra) dosage
The average cost for 30 tablets of 25mg of Eplerenone (Inspra) is $23.72 with a free GoodRx coupon. This is 73.95% off the average retail price of $91.06.
Interactions between Eplerenone (Inspra) and other drugs
Eplerenone (Inspra) may interact with certain medications or supplements. Always let your doctor and pharmacist know about any other medications or supplements (including prescribed and over-the-counter medications, vitamins, and dietary or herbal supplements) that you are currently taking. The list below does not include all possible drug interactions with Eplerenone (Inspra). Please note that only the generic name of each medication is listed below.
Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is not recommended. Your doctor may decide not to treat you with this medication or change some of the other medicines you take.
- Amiloride
- Boceprevir
- Clarithromycin
- Cobicistat
- Conivaptan
- Idelalisib
- Indinavir
- Itraconazole
- Ketoconazole
- Lopinavir
- Nefazodone
- Nelfinavir
- Posaconazole
- Potassium
- Ritonavir
- Saquinavir
- Spironolactone
- Telaprevir
- Telithromycin
- Triamterene
- Voriconazole
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.
- Aceclofenac
- Acemetacin
- Alacepril
- Amtolmetin Guacil
- Aprepitant
- Arsenic Trioxide
- Aspirin
- Atazanavir
- Benazepril
- Bromfenac
- Bufexamac
- Captopril
- Celecoxib
- Ceritinib
- Choline Salicylate
- Cilazapril
- Clonixin
- Delapril
- Dexibuprofen
- Dexketoprofen
- Diclofenac
- Diflunisal
- Diltiazem
- Dipyrone
- Dronedarone
- Droxicam
- Duvelisib
- Enalaprilat
- Enalapril Maleate
- Erythromycin
- Etodolac
- Etofenamate
- Etoricoxib
- Felbinac
- Fenoprofen
- Fepradinol
- Feprazone
- Floctafenine
- Fluconazole
- Flufenamic Acid
- Flurbiprofen
- Fosaprepitant
- Fosinopril
- Fosnetupitant
- Ibuprofen
- Imatinib
- Imidapril
- Indomethacin
- Ivosidenib
- Ketoprofen
- Ketorolac
- Larotrectinib
- Lefamulin
- Letermovir
- Lisinopril
- Lorlatinib
- Lornoxicam
- Loxoprofen
- Lumacaftor
- Lumiracoxib
- Meclofenamate
- Mefenamic Acid
- Meloxicam
- Moexipril
- Morniflumate
- Nabumetone
- Naproxen
- Nepafenac
- Netupitant
- Niflumic Acid
- Nimesulide
- Nimesulide Beta Cyclodextrin
- Oxaprozin
- Oxyphenbutazone
- Parecoxib
- Pentopril
- Perindopril
- Phenylbutazone
- Piketoprofen
- Piroxicam
- Potassium Phosphate
- Pranoprofen
- Proglumetacin
- Propyphenazone
- Proquazone
- Quinapril
- Ramipril
- Rofecoxib
- Salicylic Acid
- Salsalate
- Sodium Salicylate
- Spirapril
- Sulindac
- Temocapril
- Tenoxicam
- Tiaprofenic Acid
- Tolfenamic Acid
- Tolmetin
- Trandolapril
- Trimethoprim
- Valdecoxib
- Verapamil
- Zofenopril
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines may cause an increased risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.
- Licorice
How much does Eplerenone (Inspra) cost?
To access savings, use a GoodRx coupon and pay just a fraction of the retail price.
Eplerenone (Inspra) contraindications
Contraindications are specific health conditions or situations in which a person should not take a medication due to safety concerns. If you have any of the following conditions or if any of the following apply to you, let your healthcare provider know because Eplerenone (Inspra) will not be safe for you to take.
For all people:
- Very high potassium levels
- Severe kidney problems
- Taking certain medications like ketoconazole, ritonavir (Norvir), or clarithromycin For people with high blood pressure:
- Type 2 diabetes with abnormally high protein in the urine (microalbuminuria)
- Moderate to severe kidney problems
- Use along with potassium supplements or potassium-sparing diuretics (e.g., spironolactone (Aldactone), amiloride (Midamor), triamterene (Dyrenium)
What are alternatives to Eplerenone (Inspra)?
There are a number of medications that your doctor can prescribe in place of Eplerenone (Inspra). Compare a few possible alternatives below.
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