Hypertension

Adults

Initial Therapy in adults: The recommended initial dose is 10 mg taken orally once a day. Adjust dosage as needed according to blood pressure response. The usual dosage range is 20 to 40 mg per day administered in a single daily dose. Doses up to 80 mg per day have been used but do not appear to give greater effect.

Use with diuretics in adults

If blood pressure is not controlled with QBRELIS alone, a low dose of a diuretic may be added (e.g., hydrochlorothiazide, 12.5 mg). After the addition of a diuretic, it may be possible to reduce the dose of QBRELIS.

The recommended starting dose in adult patients with hypertension taking diuretics is 5 mg once per day.

Pediatric Patients 6 years of age and older with hypertension

For pediatric patients with glomerular filtration rate > 30 mL/min/1.73m2, the recommended starting dose is 0.07 mg per kg (up to 5 mg total) taken orally once daily. Dosage should be adjusted according to blood pressure response up to a maximum of 0.61 mg per kg (up to 40 mg) once daily. Doses above 0.61 mg per kg (or in excess of 40 mg) have not been studied in pediatric patients [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)].

QBRELIS is not recommended in pediatric patients less than 6 years of age or in pediatric patients with glomerular filtration rate < 30 mL/min/1.73m2 [see Use in Specific Populations (8.4) and Clinical Studies (14.1)].

Heart Failure

The recommended starting dose for QBRELIS, when used with diuretics and (usually) digitalis as adjunctive therapy for systolic heart failure, is 5 mg taken orally once daily. The recommended starting dose in these patients with hyponatremia (serum sodium < 130 mEq/L) is 2.5 mg once daily. Increase as tolerated to a maximum of 40 mg once daily.

Diuretic dose may need to be adjusted to help minimize hypovolemia, which may contribute to hypotension [see Warnings and Precautions (5.4), and Drug Interactions (7.1)]. The appearance of hypotension after the initial dose of QBRELIS does not preclude subsequent careful dose titration with the drug, following effective management of the hypotension.

Reduction of Mortality in Acute Myocardial Infarction

Initiation

In hemodynamically stable patients within 24 hours of the onset of symptoms of acute myocardial infarction, give QBRELIS 5 mg orally, followed by 5 mg after 24 hours, and then 10 mg once daily. Dosing should continue for at least six weeks. In patients with a low systolic blood pressure (≤ 120 mmHg and > 100 mmHg) during the first 3 days after the infarct initiate therapy with 2.5 mg once daily [see Warnings and Precautions (5.4)] and titrate up based on tolerability.

Maintenance

The usual maintenance dose is 10 mg once daily. If hypotension (systolic blood pressure ≤ 100 mmHg) occurs during maintenance treatment, give 5 mg once daily with temporary reductions to 2.5 mg if needed. If prolonged hypotension occurs (systolic blood pressure < 90 mmHg for more than 1 hour) QBRELIS should be withdrawn.

Dose in Patients with Renal Impairment

No dose adjustment of QBRELIS is required in patients with creatinine clearance > 30 mL/min. In patients with creatinine clearance ≥ 10 mL/min and ≤ 30 mL/min, reduce the initial dose of QBRELIS to half of the usual recommended dose, i.e., hypertension, 5 mg once daily; systolic heart failure, 2.5 mg once daily and acute myocardial infarction, 2.5 mg once daily. Up titrate as tolerated to a maximum of 40 mg daily. For patients on hemodialysis or creatinine clearance < 10 mL/min, the recommended initial dose is 2.5 mg once daily [see Use in Specific Populations (8.7) and Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)].