How long lisinopril

You cannot take lisinopril if you are pregnant. Looking to start a diet to better manage your high blood pressure? Our nutrition guide can help. National Health Service. Updated December 13, Food and Drug Administration. Zestril lisinopril. American Heart Association.

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Table of Contents. How Does It Work? What Does It Do? Common Side Effects. Who Can Take It? Frequently Asked Questions Can I take other drugs with lisinopril? Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Sign Up. Discuss with your healthcare professional the use of your medicine with food, alcohol, or tobacco. The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of this medicine.

Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:. In addition to the use of this medicine, treatment for your high blood pressure may include weight control and changes in the types of foods you eat, especially foods high in sodium salt. Your doctor will tell you which of these are most important for you. You should check with your doctor before changing your diet.

Many patients who have high blood pressure will not notice any signs of the problem. In fact, many may feel normal. It is very important that you take your medicine exactly as directed and that you keep your appointments with your doctor even if you feel well.

Remember that this medicine will not cure your high blood pressure but it does help control it. Therefore, you must continue to take it as directed if you expect to lower your blood pressure and keep it down. You may have to take high blood pressure medicine for the rest of your life. If high blood pressure is not treated, it can cause serious problems such as heart failure, blood vessel disease, stroke, or kidney disease. Measure the oral liquid correctly using the marked measuring spoon that comes with the package.

Rinse the dosing spoon with water after each use. If your child cannot swallow the tablets, an oral liquid may be given.

Shake the oral liquid well just before each use. Ask your doctor or pharmacist about this. The dose of this medicine will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label.

The following information includes only the average doses of this medicine. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so. The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine.

If you miss a dose of this medicine, take it as soon as possible. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not double doses. Store the medicine in a closed container at room temperature, away from heat, moisture, and direct light. Keep from freezing. It is very important that your doctor check your progress at regular visits to make sure this medicine is working properly.

Blood tests may be needed to check for unwanted effects. Using this medicine while you are pregnant can harm your unborn baby. Use an effective form of birth control to keep from getting pregnant. If you think you have become pregnant while using this medicine, tell your doctor right away. This medicine may cause serious types of allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis can be life-threatening and requires immediate medical attention. Call your doctor right away if you have a rash, itching, hoarseness, trouble breathing, trouble swallowing, or any swelling of your hands, face, mouth, or throat while you are using this medicine.

Call your doctor right away if you have severe stomach pain with or without nausea or vomiting. This could be a symptom of intestinal angioedema. For information on those versions, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. Lisinopril oral tablet is a generic drug. A generic drug is an exact copy of the active drug in a brand-name medication.

Prinivil and Zestril are the brand-name medications that lisinopril oral tablet is based on. A generic is considered to be as safe and effective as the original drug. Generics tend to cost less than brand-name drugs. They can tell you if Prinivil or Zestril comes in strengths that can be used for your condition. To learn more about how generics compare with brand-name drugs, see this article. Lisinopril oral tablet can cause mild or serious side effects.

The following lists contain some of the key side effects that may occur while taking lisinopril oral tablet. These lists do not include all possible side effects. For more information about the possible side effects of lisinopril oral tablet, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

They can give you tips on how to deal with any side effects that may be concerning or bothersome. Most of these side effects may go away within a few days or a couple of weeks. But if they become more severe or do not go away, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. Call your doctor right away if you have serious side effects. A boxed warning is the most serious warning from the FDA.

Cough may be a side effect of lisinopril for some people. This was one of the more common side effects reported by people taking the drug in clinical studies. You may experience coughing within hours of taking your first dose of lisinopril oral tablet.

It can also happen months after you start your treatment. If you develop a cough while taking lisinopril, talk with your doctor. Some people taking lisinopril oral tablets may have increased potassium levels. This side effect is typically mild, but in rare cases, it can be serious. People with kidney problems are more likely to have increased potassium levels with lisinopril.

This is because having damaged kidneys makes it harder for your body to get rid of potassium. High potassium levels do not cause symptoms in most people. But in rare cases, you may have symptoms such as:. But if you notice any of the symptoms listed above, talk with your doctor right away.

This condition can be treated, and treating it sooner can help prevent it from becoming serious. In rare cases, taking lisinopril can cause some gastrointestinal digestive side effects.

Gastrointestinal side effects reported by people taking lisinopril in clinical studies included:. If you experience gastrointestinal side effects from lisinopril, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Depending on the side effect, they may recommend treatment. Gastrointestinal side effects such as constipation, diarrhea, and gas can sometimes be treated using over-the-counter OTC medications. As with most drugs, some people can have an allergic reaction after taking lisinopril oral tablet. A more severe allergic reaction is rare but possible.

Symptoms of a severe allergic reaction can include:. Taking lisinopril can also cause angioedema , which is severe, sudden swelling that forms under your skin.

Symptoms can include:. In some cases, you may be at higher risk for angioedema while taking lisinopril. Use of ACE inhibitors has been linked with a higher rate of angioedema in Black people than in non-Black people. Call your doctor right away if you have any kind of allergic reaction to lisinopril, as the reaction could become severe. Typically, your doctor will start you on a low dosage. Your doctor will ultimately prescribe the smallest dosage that provides the desired effect.

The following information describes dosages that are commonly used or recommended. However, be sure to take the dosage your doctor prescribes for you. Your doctor will determine the best dosage to fit your needs. For treating hypertension high blood pressure in adults, the recommended starting dose is 10 mg taken once per day.

Depending on your blood pressure readings, your doctor may adjust your dose over time. The typical dosing range is 20 mg to 40 mg taken once daily. When lisinopril is used as an adjuvant add-on treatment for heart failure , the recommended starting dose is 5 mg taken once per day.

But if you have low blood sodium levels , your doctor may have you start with a dose of 2. Over time, your doctor will increase your dose. For reducing the risk of death after a heart attack, the recommended starting dosage of lisinopril is 5 mg.

Your doctor may prescribe a lower dose of lisinopril if you have hypotension low blood pressure after your heart attack. To help make sure you do not miss a dose, try using a medication reminder. This can include setting an alarm or timer on your phone or downloading a reminder app. A kitchen timer can work, too. Lisinopril oral tablet is meant to be used as a long-term treatment. You can also talk with your doctor or pharmacist to learn more. Unexplained weight loss can be a symptom of liver damage, a very rare but potentially serious side effect of lisinopril.

In most cases, weight loss occurs with other symptoms of liver damage. These symptoms can include:. Unexplained weight gain can be a symptom of angioedema , a very rare but potentially serious side effect of lisinopril. Angioedema is the severe, sudden swelling that forms under your skin due to an allergic reaction to lisinopril.

Lisinopril begins working to lower your blood pressure after you take your first dose, but you may not notice the drug working in your body.

This is because high blood pressure rarely causes symptoms. In clinical studies , some people had lower blood pressure within 24 hours after taking their first dose. But it may take longer for lisinopril to work for you. If you have questions about what to expect with your lisinopril treatment, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. No, lisinopril should not lower your heart rate. For example, people with heart failure are usually also prescribed a beta-blocker, which are medications that lower your heart rate.

If you have questions or concerns about how your treatment may affect your heart rate, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. For example, after a heart attack , most people are also prescribed a statin , which is a medication that lowers your cholesterol. Some statins interact with grapefruit. If you have other questions about whether grapefruit interacts with any medications you take, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

More studies are needed to determine whether ACE inhibitors such as lisinopril increase the risk of cancer. The evidence linking ACE inhibitors to cancer is conflicting.

Smaller studies have shown both an increased and a decreased risk of cancer with the use of ACE inhibitors.

If you have concerns about your risk for cancer with lisinopril or any of your other medications, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. However, excessive alcohol use can make hypertension high blood pressure harder to treat. This is because drinking too much alcohol may raise your blood pressure. Although red wine may have some health benefits including for your heart , it can raise your blood pressure with excessive use. If you drink alcohol, talk with your doctor about how much may be safe for you to drink with your condition and treatment plan.

Lisinopril oral tablet can interact with several other medications. It can also interact with certain supplements. Different interactions can cause different effects. For instance, some interactions can interfere with how well a drug works. Other interactions can increase side effects or make them more severe.