Gopten (Trandolapril)
Complete patient guide for uses, dosage, side effects, and safety information
Prescription RequiredQuick Facts
What Is Gopten Used For?
Gopten contains trandolapril, which belongs to a group of medicines called ACE inhibitors. It works by relaxing your blood vessels, making it easier for blood to move around your body.
Primary Uses
Gopten is used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension) and some heart conditions. High blood pressure usually has no symptoms, but if left untreated, it can lead to serious health problems including stroke, heart disease, and kidney failure.
How It Works
Gopten works by relaxing your blood vessels, making it easier for blood to move around your body. This helps lower blood pressure and increases the supply of blood and oxygen to the heart.
Good to know: Gopten is not addictive and helps control your condition by lowering blood pressure.
How to Take Gopten
Take Gopten at about the same time each day to get the best effect and help you remember. It can be taken before, during, or after food.
Dosage Instructions
The usual dosage is one or two capsules taken once daily, up to a maximum of 4mg (two 2mg capsules) once daily. For older people over 65 years, the starting dose is usually less. Your doctor will adjust the dose depending on how quickly your kidneys and liver can remove it from your body. Swallow capsules with water. If you need an antacid, take it at least 2 hours before or after your Gopten dose.
What If You Miss a Dose?
If it’s almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take your next dose when scheduled. Otherwise, take it as soon as you remember, then return to your normal schedule. If you’re unsure what to do, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Important: Never take a double dose to make up for a missed dose, as this may increase your chance of getting unwanted side effects.
Available Tablet Strengths
Side Effects
Like all medications, this medicine can cause side effects. Most are mild and temporary, but some require medical attention.
Common Side Effects
These side effects occur relatively frequently and usually don’t require emergency care:
- Light-headedness, dizziness or vertigo
- Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or stomach upset
- Constipation
- Persistent dry cough
- Headache
- Unusual tiredness or weakness
- Aching, tender or weak muscles not caused by exercise
- Taste disturbance
- Excessive sweating
Seek immediate medical attention if you experience:
- Fainting within a couple of hours of taking Gopten
- Swelling of face, lips, mouth, tongue or throat causing difficulty swallowing or breathing
- Severe dizziness and confusion with visual disturbances and speech problems
- Chest pain
- Rapid, shallow breathing, cold clammy skin, rapid weak pulse, dizziness, weakness and fainting
- Slow heartbeat, fast or irregular heartbeat (palpitations)
- Signs of frequent infections (fever, severe chills, sore throat, mouth ulcers)
- Itchy skin rash or other skin problems
- Fever, upper stomach pain, feeling generally unwell
- Symptoms of sunburn occurring more quickly than normal
Important Warnings
There are several important conditions and situations where Gopten should not be used or requires special caution.
Who Should Not Take Gopten
Do not use Gopten if you are allergic to trandolapril or any other ACE inhibitor, have a history of unexplained swelling of face/lips/mouth/tongue/throat, have certain heart valve problems (aortic stenosis), recently had severe sickness or diarrhea, have angioedema, are on hemodialysis, or are taking aliskiren, NEP inhibitors like sacubitril and racecadotril, or sacubitril combined with valsartan. Not recommended for children.
Medical Conditions to Discuss
Tell your doctor if you have kidney or liver problems, are on dialysis, have high potassium levels, experience dizzy spells, have diabetes, connective tissue disease, heart conditions, are having surgery, or are following a very low salt diet. Also inform them if you’re receiving allergy desensitization treatment or have sugar intolerance, as Gopten contains lactose.
Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
Gopten may affect your developing baby if taken during pregnancy. Tell your doctor immediately if you become pregnant while taking Gopten. Like most ACE inhibitors, Gopten is not recommended while breastfeeding.
Special Population Warning: In patients of African descent, ACE inhibitors are less effective in lowering blood pressure than in Caucasian patients. Patients over 65 may have an increased chance of side effects.
Drug Interactions
Some medicines may interfere with Gopten and affect how it works. Always tell your doctor about all medicines you’re taking.
- Other blood pressure medications
- Aliskiren
- NEP inhibitors (sacubitril, racecadotril)
- Diuretics (fluid tablets)
- Potassium supplements or salt substitutes
- Anti-inflammatory pain medicines
- Diabetes medications including insulin and vildagliptin
- Lithium or tricyclic antidepressants
- Sympathomimetics (in decongestants, cough/cold remedies, asthma medicines)
- Antacids
- Immunosuppressants like ciclosporin
- Procainamide
- Allopurinol
- Cancer medicines (cytostatic)
- Mental health medicines (neuroleptics)
- General anesthetics
- Injectable gold
- Heparin
Alcohol & Driving
Gopten may cause dizziness, light-headedness, or tiredness in some people, which can be worsened by alcohol consumption.
Alcohol
If you drink alcohol, dizziness or light-headedness may be worse. Tell your doctor if you drink alcohol, and avoid driving if you experience these effects.
Driving and Operating Machinery
Be careful before driving or using machines until you know how Gopten affects you. Make sure you know how you react to Gopten before driving a car, operating machinery, or doing anything else that could be dangerous if you are dizzy or light-headed.
Storage
Keep capsules in the original pack until it’s time to take them, as they won’t keep well if removed. Store in a cool, dry place where temperature stays below 25°C. Keep away from moisture, heat, sunlight, bathrooms, sinks, cars, and window sills. Keep out of reach of children.
Overdose Information
If you think you’ve taken too much Gopten, seek urgent medical attention immediately. Symptoms may include dizziness, light-headedness, anxiety, weakness, palpitations, feeling faint, or collapse. Contact the Poisons Information Centre (Australia: 13 11 26), your doctor, or go to the nearest hospital emergency department, even if you have no symptoms.
Frequently Asked Questions
Gopten helps control your blood pressure, but the source doesn’t specify exact timing. Your doctor will monitor your blood pressure to ensure it’s working effectively.
Yes, it doesn’t matter if you take Gopten before, during, or after food. Take it at the same time each day for best results.
No, Gopten is not addictive.
Do not stop taking Gopten or lower the dosage without checking with your doctor first. Gopten helps control your condition but doesn’t cure it, so you must continue taking it as prescribed.
Tell your doctor if you drink alcohol. Alcohol may make dizziness or light-headedness worse, and you should not drive if this occurs.
Yes, but the usual starting dose for people over 65 is less than for younger adults. Your doctor will adjust the dose based on how your kidneys and liver function. Elderly patients may have an increased chance of side effects.
If it’s almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose. Otherwise, take it as soon as you remember and return to your normal schedule. Never take a double dose to make up for a missed one.
Important Disclaimer
This information is intended for general educational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider or pharmacist before starting, stopping, or changing any medication.
If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or emergency services immediately.