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Side Effects of Lisinopril

Generally, side effects of lisinopril are mild and either require no treatment or are easily treated. Common side effects include chest pain, stomach pain, and fatigue. Rare side effects include heart palpitations, pancreatitis, and unexplained weight loss. Some side effects of lisinopril should be reported immediately to your healthcare provider, such as difficulty breathing or swallowing, unexplained skin rash, and unexplained swelling of the hands or feet.

Side Effects of Lisinopril: An Overview

As with any medicine, side effects are possible with
 lisinopril (Zestril®). However, not everyone who takes the drug will experience side effects. If side effects do occur, they are generally mild and either require no treatment or can easily be treated by you or your healthcare professional. Serious side effects are less common.
 
Lisinopril has been studied in several 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 side effects of lisinopril discussed below are not a complete list of reported side effects. Your healthcare provider can discuss a more complete list with you.)
 
High Blood Pressure
Lisinopril has been studied extensively in clinical trials for people with high blood pressure. In these studies, side effects are always documented. The most common side effects of lisinopril, occurring in more than 1 percent of people with high blood pressure, were:
 
 
If side effects of lisinopril do occur, most people do not need to stop their medicine. In previous research studies, 5.7 percent of people with high blood pressure stopped taking lisinopril because of side effects.
 
Congestive Heart Failure
Lisinopril has been studied extensively in clinical trials for people with congestive heart failure. The most common side effects of lisinopril, occurring in more than 1 percent of people with heart failure, were:
 
  • Chest pain
  • Abdominal pain (stomach pain)
  • Extreme low blood pressure
  • Diarrhea
  • Dizziness
  • Headache
  • Upper respiratory infections
  • Unexplained rash.
 
In previous research studies, 11 percent of people taking lisinopril for congestive heart failure stopped taking the medicine because of side effects.
 
Heart Attack
For people taking lisinopril following a heart attack, the most common side effects, occurring in more than 1 percent of people, were:
 
  • Extreme low blood pressure
  • Kidney problems.
 
Within this category, 17.6 percent of people stopped taking lisinopril because of side effects.
 
Side Effects of Lisinopril Article Continues on Next Page >
Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;
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