Is Benazepril safe while breastfeeding?
Here is what LactMed, the Drugs and Lactation Database published by the U.S. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), reports about Benazepril. The text below is quoted from that source — it is not our own verdict.
Summary of use during breastfeeding
Because of the low levels of benazepril in breastmilk, amounts ingested by the infant are small and would not be expected to cause any adverse effects in breastfed infants.
Effects on the breastfed infant
Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Effects on milk supply
Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Levels in milk
Benazepril is an inactive drug that is metabolized to the active metabolite benazeprilat. Benazeprilat is poorly absorbed orally.
Maternal Levels. In 9 women (time postpartum not stated) given an oral dose of 20 mg of benazepril daily for 3 days, peak milk levels of 0.9 mcg/L of benazepril at 1 hour after the dose and 2 mcg/L of its active metabolite benazeprilat at 1.5 hours after the dose were detected. The authors estimated that the infant would receive a dose less than 0.14% of the mother's weight-adjusted dose of benazepril, mostly as benazeprilat.[1]
Infant Levels. Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Alternatives LactMed lists
“No published information” means the studies do not exist yet — not that Benazepril is known to be harmful, and not that it is known to be safe. Your prescriber or pharmacist can weigh your baby's age and whether a better-studied alternative would do the same job. Worth asking before stopping a medicine you need.
Source: Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed), National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), via NCBI Bookshelf, record “Benazepril” (LM26). LactMed on NCBI Bookshelf. LactMed is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Educational summary of an authoritative source — not medical advice. Never start, stop, or change a medicine while breastfeeding without confirming with your doctor.