The drug generically named lisinopril is prescribed in the treatment of high blood pressure---hypertension---and congestive heart failure. This medication belongs to a group of medications known as ACE inhibitors. ACE means angiotensin converting enzyme. ACE inhibitors help relax blood vessels in the human body. It prevents the angiotensin II enzyme from being produced. This enzyme causes narrowing or constriction of the blood vessels and increases blood pressure, which causes the heart to work harder.
Dizziness
Dizziness is a common and non-serious side effect of lisinopril. This may occur specifically when the person taking the medication rises suddenly from lying down or sitting. Dizziness may happen because the medication is altering how the blood flows, which can cause a sudden but not serious drop in blood pressure when moving quickly. Dizziness can cause him to fall or stumble, and it can lead him to vomit if the problem is too much for his equilibrium. He probably will not experience this problem more than during the first several days he is taking lisinopril, but Drugs.com states he should tell his doctor if the problem persists.
Headaches
Lisinopril also may induce headaches when a person begins using it, Drugs.com reports. The patient may experience this common side effect generally for a few days. Her body's new change in blood pressure may cause a headache because the blood vessels are increasingly dilated more than usual. It takes a short time to acclimate to the medicine. This also is a temporary, non-serious side effect of lisinopril, but should be explained to her doctor if she continues to have headaches.
Tiredness
The person beginning to use this anti-hypertensive medication also may feel more tired than usual. He may feel as though he needs to sleep even if he has rested. Because his body has a lower blood pressure than he is used to, it may slow down, which can make him feel tired. As he continues taking lisinopril, he probably will not feel this tiredness. If he does, he should talk with his physician.
Mental Confusion
There also are some serious common side effects of taking lisinopril. For example, the person taking it may feel confused when listening to conversations or she may be flustered because she is confused about common tasks. This side effect of the drug, the Mayo Clinic recommends, should be reported to her doctor immediately.
Blurred Vision
Another serious and common side effect of lisinopril is a change in vision of the person taking it, the Mayo Clinic reports. He may find it is difficult to focus his eyes correctly, whether he is looking at distant or nearby objects. This may occur because his eyeballs may not have the required amount of fluid in them to allow them to focus. This also should be reported to his doctor without delay because it is a serious side effect of the drug.
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