Lisinopril

What is Lisinopril?

Lisinopril is an ACE inhibitor, which relaxes the blood vessels to treat hypertension. It comes as a tablet that you take daily. It reduces blood pressure and helps prevent other health complications that arise due to high blood pressure. Lisinopril is an ACE inhibitor, which relaxes the blood vessels.

High blood pressure or hypertension is a common condition in which the force of the blood against the artery wall is high. Blood pressure above 140/90 (when checked by a clinician) is said to be high and above 180/120 is considered to be a severe condition.

High blood pressure causes other health problems like heart disease. Some common causes of hypertension are obesity, lack of physical activity, excessive salt in your diet, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, stress, old age, genetics, chronic kidney disease, or adrenal and thyroid disorders.

Lisinopril is also used to treat heart failure and improve survival after a heart attack. It’s used to treat kidney problems in people with type 2 diabetes and hypertension too.

How does Lisinopril work?

Lisinopril is the active ingredient in the tablet. Each dose contains an equivalent amount of lisinopril.

Lisinopril works as an inhibitor to the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE). ACE converts the hormone angiotensin I to angiotensin II. Angiotensin II is responsible for tightening of the blood vessels which leads to high blood pressure. Lisinopril reduces the ACE which means there is a decreased amount of Angiotensin II, resulting in lower blood pressure.

What doses of Lisinopril are there?

Lisinopril comes in four doses: 2.5mg, 5mg, 10mg and 20mg. The 2.5mg and 5mg doses are prescribed to treat heart issues. A starting dose of 10mg is recommended to treat hypertension. Your clinician may increase this dose to 20mg if the lower doses aren’t working for you the way they should.

How to take Lisinopril

You should take Lisinopril exactly as advised by our clinician. Depending on what’s being treated, your clinician will tell you how many tablets are to be taken in a day.

• Swallow the tablet with a glass of water
• Try to take your tablet at the same time each day
• You can take your tablet before or after meals
• Keep taking your treatment until our clinician tells you to stop

If you are taking your first dose of Lisinopril or your dose is increased, take special care as it may cause a greater fall in blood pressure. This may make you feel dizzy or light-headed. So, it’s recommended to take the first dose before bedtime. If you feel lightheaded, lie down for some time. If lying down doesn’t help or you are concerned, seek medical assistance immediately.

How long does it take Lisinopril to work?

Lisinopril starts to work within a few hours to reduce high blood pressure, but it may take a few weeks to see its full effects. ^[1] If you’re taking Lisinopril to treat heart failure it may take weeks or even months before you start feeling better. If you’re taking it to treat hypertension or after a heart attack you may not have any symptoms. In these cases, you may not feel any different after taking Lisinopril. That doesn’t mean the medicine is not working. It’s important to continue taking Lisinopril until you’re advised to discontinue.

What should I do if I make a mistake when taking Lisinopril?

If you forget to take your dose and it has been less than 12 hours, take it when you remember. If more than 12 hours have passed, skip the dose and continue with the next dose at your usual time. Don’t take a double dose to make up for the missed one.

If you accidentally take more Lisinopril than your prescribed dose, you should seek medical assistance immediately. Overdose may cause dizziness and palpitations.

Always take Lisinopril as advised by your clinician.