Prof Ian Maidment, professor in clinical pharmacy at Aston University, said: “The NHS has just issued a serious supply shortage protocol for ramipril 1.25mg capsules, a prescription medication commonly used for high blood pressure and other heart conditions.
“The protocol applies to all four devolved nations (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) and means that pharmacies can only supply a maximum of one month supply of medication at any one time.
“Ramipril is an ACE (Angiotensin-converting enzyme) inhibitor and there are other ACE inhibitors available.
“It is vital that patients discuss any concerns with their community pharmacy team or GPs or pharmacy staff working in their GP surgery, but the key message is that there are alternatives.
“These supply issues are challenging for primary care to manage impacting on their overall workload.”
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