Lisinopril is intended to help treat those who are suffering from hypertension or high blood pressure. The drug inhibits the production of enzymes that cause blood vessels throughout the body to tighten, causing these conditions. When Lisinopril causes these vessels to relax, blood can flow more smoothly throughout the body. This will help promote heart, brain and vital organ health as they will be readily provided with oxygen that is necessary for bodily growth and function.
Indications
Lisinopril tablets need to be stored in a dry place that is out of direct sunlight to avoid deterioration. You should not share Lisinopril with other people, even if they have the same symptoms you do. Avoid taking more than your allotted dose, as overdosing on Lisinopril can be extremely dangerous. If you miss a dose, do not double up, but take your normal dosage at the next point in your prescription schedule. You will need to drink plenty of water while on Lisinopril as the drug can cause your kidneys to dehydrate easily. You will also need to maintain a healthy body weight to reduce the likelihood that you will develop side effects.
Common Lisinopril Side Effects
Lisinopril is generally tolerated well in clinical trials, but there are still a few side effects to watch out for. The most common side effect patients suffer while on Lisinopril is coughing. The heavy cough occurred in 1% of users, but in most cases it did not affect the person's ability to function or got better over time. Coughing may be paired with weakness, dizziness, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, headache, or diarrhea. More than 11% of patients stopped taking Lisinopril due to these side effects. If you begin suffering from these symptoms, talk to your doctor about a possible solution.
More than 1% of patients also saw heart related issues while on Lisinopril. These conditions can be indicated by chest or abdominal pain, extremely low blood pressure, dizziness, diarrhea, headache, frequent upper respiratory infections, or rash. Check your own blood pressure often so you can be aware of how your condition is progressing. If you begin to notice any of these symptoms, inform your doctor right away. They can advise you on how to proceed. If at any point you begin to suffer symptoms associated with a heart attack, contact emergency services immediately.
Uncommon and Rare Lisinopril Side Effects
In less than 1% of patients, changes in mood, tingling, taste disturbance, sleep disorders or spinning sensation have occurred. While these are rare, they could be a sign that your blood pressure is dipping lower than it should be. Continue to check your blood pressure while on Lisinopril and contact your doctor if it begins dropping below a normal level. You may need to adjust your prescription to accommodate for this issue. If at any time you start experiencing numbness or severe symptoms, contact emergency services. This is especially important if your symptoms start to mirror those of a stroke.
In extremely rare cases, patients saw instances of hives, hair loss or kidney failure. This could be a sign of a serious allergic reaction to the medication. If you notice any of these symptoms, stop taking your medication and contact your doctor about how to proceed. If an allergic reaction leads to swelling or other difficulties that make it difficult to breathe, contact emergency services to get help. Rare instances of issues in blood cell production have occurred. If you are susceptible to this kind of damage, your doctor may want to take blood samples frequently to ensure that you are not developing an adverse condition.
Side Effects in Children, Pregnant Women and Seniors
Due to the severity of the drug, Lisinopril is rarely given to children. If your doctor determines this is necessary, keep your child's condition monitored very closely to ensure that no Lisinopril side effects are developing. Lisinopril is considered extremely dangerous for pregnant women and those who are breastfeeding. In addition to causing very serious birth defects including underdeveloped skulls and lungs and heart disorders, Lisinopril greatly increases the risk of stillbirths. There are no specific risks for seniors, but take care to ensure that the drug will not conflict with any allergy or medical issues that have developed in the body over time. Those who have suffered a heart attack are the most likely to develop side effects from Lisinopril.
Interactions with Other Medicines and Substances
Lisinopril should not be paired with alcohol. This combination can lower the blood pressure in the body to a point that could be dangerous. Lisinopril should not be paired with potassium supplements for similar reasons. Nausea and vomiting were found to be increased in patients that were also treated with lithium or gold based products.
Hypertensive effects were not treated as effectively in patients going through diuretic therapy. Reducing the dose of the diuretic when possible seemed to alleviate this issue. Similarly, using anti-diabetics while on Lisinopril lowered the effectiveness of the prescription's ability to fight hypoglycemia. If you are on either of these medications, talk with your doctor about how you can have them adjusted so that you can get the most out of all of your prescriptions.