What You Need to Know About the 2022 Quinapril Recall

Over 133 million U.S. adults need medication to help lower their blood pressure. One common group of blood pressure medications is angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors . ACE inhibitors include medications like lisinopril (Zestril), benazepril (Lotensin), and quinapril (Accupril). 

But in March and April 2022, the manufacturer of quinapril and quinapril/hydrochlorothiazide (Accuretic) recalled several lots (or batches) of both medications due to high levels of potentially hazardous chemicals, called nitrosamines.

Here, we’ll cover everything you need to know about the quinapril recall — why it happened, which lots are recalled, and what to do if you have a recalled product. 

What is quinapril used for? 

Quinapril is a medication that treats high blood pressure. It is also used with diuretics (water pills) and/or digoxin (Lanoxin) to treat heart failure. Quinapril is usually taken once daily for high blood pressure and twice a day for heart failure. 

Quinapril works by blocking ACE. Under normal circumstances, ACE helps make a chemical called angiotensin II. Angiotensin II is responsible for constricting blood vessels, which can raise your blood pressure. By blocking the activity of ACE, quinapril stops the production of angiotensin II and blood vessels can relax, which lowers your blood pressure. 

Why has quinapril been recalled? 

Quinapril and quinapril/hydrochlorothiazide were recalled due to the presence of nitrosamines. Nitrosamines are chemicals that naturally exist in our food and water. When you encounter them, it’s usually in low amounts. If you ingest high amounts of nitrosamines, it can be dangerous and may raise your risk of cancer. This is why high levels of nitrosamines in medications can lead to recalls.

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The specific nitrosamine found in some quinapril products is called Nnitroso-quinapril. During safety testing, it was discovered that certain batches (lots) of quinapril and quinapril/hydrochlorothiazide had higher levels of Nnitroso-quinapril than the acceptable intake limit. The acceptable intake limit is the amount of nitrosamines allowed in a medication. It’s decided by the FDA and other international agencies.

How do I know if my quinapril product is affected by the recall?

According to Pfizer, several lots of quinapril and quinapril/hydrochlorothiazide were affected by the recall. To see if your medication came from one of these lots, you can check the lot number on your bottle of medication. It’s typically printed on the side of each medication bottle.

You can also find the National Drug Code (or NDC). The NDC is a unique 10-digit number that helps the FDA identify a medication. 

Only the lots mentioned below are affected by the recall as of June 2022. To stay up to date on medication recalls, you can check out the FDA list of drug recalls. If you take a quinapril product, you can also ask your pharmacist to check if it’s been affected by the recall. When a medication is recalled, your local pharmacy typically receives a notification letting them know. 

Brand-name Accupril

Brand-name Accuretic

Generic quinapril/hydrochlorothiazide

What should I do if my quinapril has been recalled?

If your medication has been affected by the recall, don’t stop taking it without talking to your healthcare provider first. Stopping quinapril suddenly can raise your blood pressure. This can raise your risk of having a heart attack or stroke. 

If you’ve been taking a recalled quinapril product, your healthcare provider may still want you to continue taking it. But it should be from a lot that wasn’t affected by the recall. Or your healthcare provider may decide to prescribe you another medication to replace quinapril. 

What are alternatives to quinapril?

Other ACE inhibitors are going to be the most similar medication option to quinapril. There are several medications in this group, including:

• Lisinopril 

• Benazepril 

• Enalapril (Vasotec)

• Ramipril (Altace)

Your healthcare provider may also decide to switch you to another class of medications entirely. A group of medications called angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) are most similar to ACE inhibitors. They’re also used to treat high blood pressure and heart failure. Often, ACE inhibitors and ARBs can be used interchangeably.

Will I be able to get a refund on my recalled quinapril?

It’s possible. For more information about how to return quinapril or quinapril/hydrochlorothiazide and get reimbursed, contact Sedgwick at 1-888-345-0481, Monday through Friday from 8AM to 5PM (ET).

What if I recently took recalled quinapril?

There’s probably no immediate risk to someone that recently took a recalled quinapril product. But, we don’t know the effects of long-term use of recalled quinapril products.

Continuing to take recalled quinapril products isn’t recommended. It’s better to switch to a quinapril product that wasn’t recalled or another blood pressure medication entirely. But remember to talk to your healthcare provider before stopping your medication, even if it’s been recalled.

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Written by:

Makaela Premont, PharmD

Makaela Premont, PharmD, is a pharmacist and the founder of uniquelymickie.com, a website dedicated to helping pharmacy students and pharmacists create a life that they enjoy. She received her Doctorate of Pharmacy from the University of South Carolina and is a licensed pharmacist in North Carolina.

Edited by:

Amy B. Gragnolati, PharmD, BCPS

Amy Gragnolati, PharmD, BCPS, is a pharmacy editor for GoodRx. Amy currently holds her pharmacist license in Georgia and California.

Reviewed by:

Christina Aungst, PharmD

Christina Aungst, PharmD, is a pharmacy editor for GoodRx. She began writing for GoodRx Health in 2019, transitioning from freelance writer to editor in 2021.

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