Fosinopril is a type of medication known as an angiotensin-converting enzyme, or ACE, inhibitor. It is used primarily for two conditions: high blood pressure, also known as hypertension; and heart failure. According to the medical reference UpToDate, a common initial dosage for patients with hypertension is 10 milligrams daily; this may be increased as needed to bring blood pressure to normal. Patients with heart failure may also begin with a 10 mg dose; they may go up to 80 mg daily. Fosinopril is associated with several potential side effects.
Dizziness
The National Institutes of Health's website, MedlinePlus, lists dizziness as a potential side effect of the entire class of ACE inhibitors. Fosinopril is no exception: The statistics listed in UpToDate indicate that up to 12 percent of patients taking fosinopril may experience this uncomfortable effect. An easy step you can take to help manage this effect is to rise slowly when getting up from bed or from a chair. This side effect may occur more frequently when treatment with fosinopril first begins; it may get better with time.
Cough
Experiencing a cough is another potential side effect associated with fosinopril and other ACE inhibitors. About 10 percent of patients taking fosinopril may notice this effect. Dr. Norman Kaplan and Dr. Burton Rose, writing in UpToDate, describe this cough as a hacking cough that is dry. It usually occurs within the first two weeks of beginning therapy with fosinopril or other ACE inhibitors but may take as long as half a year to develop. For unknown reasons, women seem to experience this effect more commonly than men do. Medline Plus offers the suggestion of lowering the dose of the ACE inhibitor as a way to improve the cough but warns that you should not try this without speaking to a physician. If lowering the dose does not improve the cough, you may have to stop taking fosinopril and try another medication.
Low Blood Pressure
Hypotension, or low blood pressure, is another potential side effect of fosinopril as well as other ACE inhibitors. UpToDate warns patients taking this medication that the low blood pressure may cause a brief loss of consciousness, called syncope. This most frequently occurs in patients who are low on fluids, so to avoid this frightening effect, you should be certain to drink plenty of fluids throughout the day. A closely related effect that occurs in about 2 percent of patients is called orthostatic hypotension: This is a drop in blood pressure that occurs when you move from a sitting or lying position to a standing position.
References
- "UpToDate"; Fosinopril: Drug Information; Lexi-Comp, Inc.; 2010
- MedlinePlus: ACE Inhibitors
- "UpToDate"; Major Side Effects of Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibitors and Angiotensin II Receptor Blockers; N. Kaplan and B. Rose; October 2010
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