Is Quinapril 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 Quinapril. 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 quinapril 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

Quinapril is an inactive drug that is metabolized to the active metabolite quinaprilat. Quinaprilat is poorly absorbed orally.

Maternal Levels. Six women who had been breastfeeding their infants for at least 2 weeks and were 4 to 9 months postpartum were given a single oral dose of 20 mg of quinapril. Quinapril milk levels were detectable at 4 hours after the dose, but undetectable (<5 mcg/L) in all samples by 6 hours after the dose. Quinalaprilat milk levels were undetectable (<5 mcg/L) at all time points. The authors estimated that a breastfed infant would receive about 1.6% of the maternal weight-adjusted dosage of quinapril.[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 Quinapril 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 “Quinapril” (LM234). 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.