Mavik Cough

The same enzyme-blocking effect that allows Mavik to lower blood pressure can also cause a buildup of other substances in the lungs, leading to a Mavik cough. In previous clinical studies, up to 2 percent of people with high blood pressure and up to 35 percent of people with congestive heart failure who were taking Mavik reported the chronic, dry cough. Unfortunately, it is impossible to know if and when a cough will occur during treatment with Mavik.

 

Mavik Cough: An Overview

There are a number of possible side effects that can occur with Mavik® (trandolapril). One side effect that is common in Mavik, along with all other ACE inhibitors, is a dry cough that will not go away.
 

Understanding the ACE Inhibitor Cough

Mavik is part of a class of drugs called angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, or ACE inhibitors for short.
 Mavik helps to block the angiotensin-converting enzyme, which is normally part of a reaction in the body that causes blood vessels to narrow (constrict). By blocking this enzyme, Mavik causes blood vessels to relax, which lowers blood pressure and helps with symptoms of congestive heart failure.
 
However, scientists also believe that the angiotensin-converting enzyme is responsible for the breakdown of other substances in the lungs. When ACE is blocked, these substances can build up in the lungs, which can ultimately lead to a chronic cough.
 
The likelihood of developing a cough while taking an ACE inhibitor appears to be affected by a number of factors, including the specific ACE inhibitor, the condition being treated, and a person's genetics.
 
(Mavik Cough Continued: Page 2)
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;