Blood Pressure Drug Causes Cough

I, too, was put on lisinopril to combat elevated b.p. & found it caused me to cough. I was then put on Diovan & it seemed to cause muscle pain so I discontinued it. I have now been taking Hydrochlorothiazide (25mg)plus a weak dose of Amlodipine (2.5mg). No side effects but no consistent improvement. I've very recently tried adding curry & tumeric to my food (mainly fish & vegetables) and do notice a stabilization each time I practice qi gong or t'ai chi, so it's hard to determine what the drugs accomplish. But at least they don't seem to harm me. EJ

I, too, took Lisinopril for a good while, and eventually developed a monster cough that would not go way. My pulmonologist said this is a common side effect, and she recommended Cozaar. Asked for his opinion, my primary physician concurred. That took care of it, cough is gone.

I have also been taking lisinopril and metoprolol tartrate for high blood pressure. I, have the hacking cough too. The only thing I've found that helps at times is sucking on ice cubes or crushed ice, especially if you get a spell of coughing when you are dining out. SB

I have been on Lisnopril since October with increased dosage from 5 to 10 mg. In the last two weeks I have developed a horrible hacking cough which keeps me up at night and makes people run away from me.

I also had the same problem. My primary care physician changed my medication to Cozaar and the problem cleared up. If you had contacted the physician that wrote the prescription, I am surprised they were not aware of this as a side effect, particularly if you had just started taking this medication.

My mom took lisinopril over 10 years ago and her doctor at the time advised based on the extreme cough she developed it could affect her children. I developed high blood pressure symptoms and tried 2 different drugs before my doctor prescribed lisinopril. The immediate improvement in my blood pressure was remarkable, however I too developed the hacking cough and thankfully my mom remembered this was the same medicine she took with the same side effect.

I found this info extremely helpful as my husband developed the same cough and his doctor kept writing prescriptions for antibiotics, cough medicine, and even suggested he go to an allergist. Once he stopped taking the medication it went away. He has decided since his BP was borderline, he is going to try to manage it by diet and exercise and already is feeling better!

my general physician put me on lisnopril. my bp went down,but, i developed such a severe cough that once i started coughing i could not stop until i vomited. physically exhausting and socially embarrassing. when i consulted my md, she said i had allergies that caused my cough. All the allergy tests showed zero allergies. Finally a knowledgeable Ear, nose & throat specialist immediately recognized my lisopril induced cough when i had a coughing fit in his waiting room.

He informed my md i needed a change of bp medicine. Unfortunately, my regular md would not accept this information. Therefore, i found a new primary care md who works with my ENT. i now take cozaar for my bp, cough gone!

My husband takes Lisinopril-hctz and is kept awake night after night with the dry cough. He mentioned it to his doctor and his doctor said it's not the medication because it just happens at night. I'm going to tell my husband to insist on a medication change. Not sleeping raises his BP more than anything!

My Mom has developed this cough to the point she rarely goes out to social functions--at 81, she's becoming more isolated. I can't convince her, or her doctor, to try something else.

Now, my husband has started lisinopril--and is coughing, and insisting it's drainage! No wonder so many of us avoid doctors--

My voice gets very raspy if I talk more than a minute or so and if I keep talking I lose it altogether for a while. Two ENT's said it's age related. I'm 69. Someone said it's form the inhalers I use. So I don't know if it's the inhalers, Spiriva and Qvar, or the Lisinopril. What do you think?

my mom is on ramipril and she has a hacking cough that does not let her sleep and finds it very embarrassing when she is out, she is almost gagging at times, she needs help.

PEOPLE'S PHARMACY RESPONSE: SHE NEEDS TO TELL HER DOCTOR THAT SHE IS EXPERIENCING THIS SIDE EFFECT SO THAT A DIFFERENT TYPE OF DRUG CAN BE PRESCRIBED.

I took lisinopril and it caused me to cough uncontrollably. I now take Avapro and am dry as well as hoarse. I have been to an ENT who tells me there is nothing of concern either down my throat or in my nose. I am left with the feeling that it is the Avapro..what else is there that won't cause these symptoms? All of this is very annoying. I might add that my blood pressure is very erratic, up and down. Occasionally my heart beats rapidly, any advice would be greatly appreciated..

I had good control of my blood pressure with Atacand HCT but due to my insurance company, I was forced to switch to a different medication. My MD put me on Prinivil and Prinizide and I too developed a horrible, dry cough. I work in the medical field but it took a few days for it to sink in that it was the new BP meds. I have gone back to my Atacand HCT, however, the cough is much better but not totally gone. How long does it take the cough to clear up once you get off the ACE inhibitors??

All of these meds-Plendil-Lisinopril-Norvasc-Cozaar-HCTZ-Plendil-& Toprol XL all causes me to cough violently. I truly believe it is the ace inhibitors that are doing so. I have had 2 surgeries to correct the incontinence that has been caused by these meds. Disgusting. What is left?

I also am suffering with a drug hacking cough 24 seven. I was put on Linsinopril and get no sleep, throw up my meals and have no control of my bowels when I have a coughing attack. I have now been put on a new medicine that suppose to be better for me call Exforge, and so far I am having the same problem. I must take ten days and if I see no change then I am to see a Pulmonary specialist. I think I will stop taking this medicine and go to a herbalist.

PEOPLE'S PHARMACY RESPONSE: EXFORGE (AMLODIPINE + VALSARTAN) SHOULD BE LESS LIKELY THAN LISINOPRIL TO CAUSE COUGH. PLEASE CHECK IN WITH YOUR DOCTOR INSTEAD OF STOPPING YOUR MEDICINE SUDDENLY. THERE ARE OTHER BLOOD PRESSURE MEDICINES THAT SHOULD NOT CAUSE COUGH; YOUR COUGH SHOULD ALSO BE INVESTIGATED IN CASE IT IS CAUSED BY SOMETHING ELSE.

I too have developed a monster cough after 30 days on Linsinopril; just got my first refill. Used ice water on a short flight recently, and managed to keep from being embarrassed. Would taking it on alternate days be an option? It does produce good results.

Chalk up another one for lisinopril. I just recently got back on a BP Med and am having extreme coughing at night when in bed and when I roll over on my side and in the am when I awake and get up. This med has to go! I smoke :( and even the smokes don't cause me to cough to this extreme!

How long does it take for the Lisinopril to leave your system? I was on it four months and a couple weeks.