Pregnancy and breastfeeding
Animal and human data have revealed evidence of lethal harm to the embryo and teratogenicity associated with ACE inhibitors. No controlled data in human pregnancy are available. Birth defects have been associated with use of lisinopril in any trimester. Death and increased toxicity to the fetus and newly born child have been reported with the use of lisinopril in the second and third trimesters. The label states, "When pregnancy is detected, discontinue Zestril as soon as possible." The manufacturer recommends mothers should not breastfeed while taking this medication because of the current lack of safety data. Contraindications
Lisinopril is contraindicated in people who have a history of angioedema (hereditary or idiopathic) or who have diabetes and are taking aliskiren. Adverse effects
The incidence of adverse effects varies according to which disease state the patient is being treated for.People taking lisinopril for the treatment of hypertension may experience the following side effects:
Headache (3.8%)
Dizziness (3.5%)
Cough (2.5%) Persons with the ACE I/D genetic polymorphism may be at higher risk for ACE inhibitor-associated cough.
Merck ended up entering into an agreement with Zeneca under which Zeneca received the right to co-market lisinopril, and Merck received the exclusive rights to an earlier stage aldose reductase inhibitor drug candidate, a potential treatment for diabetes. Zenecas marketing and brand name, "Zestril", turned out to be stronger than Mercks effort. The drug became a blockbuster for AstraZeneca (formed in 1998), with annual sales in 1999 of $1.2B.The US patents expired in 2002. Since then, lisinopril has been available under many brand names worldwide; some formulations include the diuretic hydrochlorothiazide. References
Further reading
External links
"Lisinopril". Drug Information Portal. U.S. National Library of Medicine.