Amturnide and Pregnancy

Can Pregnant Women Take Amturnide?

Amturnide^® (aliskiren-amlodipine-hydrochlorothiazide) is a prescription blood pressure medication. It is a combination drug, containing hydrochlorothiazide, amlodipine (Norvasc^®), and aliskiren (Tekturna^®). Amturnide is generally considered unsafe for use during pregnancy, mostly due to the aliskiren component. Aliskiren belongs to a group of medications known as angiotensin renin inhibitors.

 

Amturnide is classified as a pregnancy Category D drug. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) uses a category system to classify the possible risks to a fetus when a specific medicine is taken during pregnancy.

 

Pregnancy Category D is a classification given to medicines that have been shown to present a risk to the fetus in studies of pregnant women, but may still offer benefits that outweigh the risks the drug presents. A pregnancy Category D medicine may still be given to a pregnant woman if the healthcare provider believes that the benefits to the woman outweigh the possible risks to her unborn child.

 

Amturnide was given a pregnancy Category D rating due to the aliskiren component. The hydrochlorothiazide component has a Category B rating, which means that it is probably safe for use during pregnancy (see Hydrochlorothiazide and Pregnancy for more information). The amlodipine component has a Category C rating, which falls somewhere between the Category B and Category D ratings in terms of severity (see Norvasc and Pregnancy for more information).

 

Aliskiren was given a pregnancy Category D classification based on problems seen with other related blood pressure medications. It has not been studied in any pregnant women due to the potential risks.