Enalapril Side Effects

Some patients experience enalapril side effects that may include changes in blood pressure, body weakness, or dizziness. Although most side effects of enalapril are mild, it is always wise to notify your healthcare provider if any problems develop while taking the medication. Along with the more common side effects of enalapril, there are also some serious (but rare) side effects that can occur, such as allergic reaction, unexplained swelling, and infections.

 

Enalapril Side Effects: An Introduction

As with any medicine, there are possible side effects with enalapril (sold as Vasotec® and generic Enalapril Maleate), but not everyone who takes enalapril will experience side effects. In fact, most people tolerate enalapril well. When people do develop enalapril side effects, in many cases they are minor, meaning they require no treatment or are easily treated by you or your healthcare provider. Serious side effects can occur but are less common. About 3 percent of people with high blood pressure and about 6 percent of people with congestive heart failure stop taking enalapril because of side effects.
 
Enalapril has been studied in a number of groups of people with different conditions. Because the groups were so different, the side effects are broken down by group. These groups include people with:
 
(The enalapril side effects discussed below are NOT a complete list of side effects reported with enalapril. Your healthcare provider can discuss a more complete list of enalapril side effects with you.)
 

Common Enalapril Side Effects in People With High Blood Pressure

Enalapril has been studied extensively in clinical trials, with thousands of people worldwide having been evaluated.
 In these studies, side effects are always documented and compared to side effects that occur in a similar group of people not taking the medicine. Based on these studies, the most common enalapril side effects seen in people with high blood pressure include:
 
  • Headache -- experienced by up to 5.2 percent of people
  • Fatigue -- experienced by up to 3 percent of people
  • Dizziness -- experienced by up to 4.3 percent of people.
 
(Enalapril Side Effects Continued: Page 2)
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;