While I was taking lisinopril to control my high blood pressure, I developed a hacking cough. An ear, nose and throat specialist shrugged and said this comes with age. My regular doctor gave me a course of antibiotics. Eventually, my wife mentioned my cough to the pharmacist, who pointed out that this is a common complaint with lisinopril. When we brought this to my doctor's attention, he finally took me off the drug.
Lisinopril is an ACE inhibitor. Like other blood pressure drugs in this class (Accupril, Altace, benazepril, captopril, enalapril, ramipril and quinapril), lisinopril can cause a hacking cough that won't go away with cough medicine.
We are shocked that neither your lung specialist nor your regular doctor figured this out. Antibiotics are inappropriate for this kind of cough.
There are other medications to control blood pressure. Angiotensin receptor blockers such as Avapro, Benicar, Cozaar and Diovan are less likely to cause a chronic cough.
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My doctors were mystified by my anemia. The puzzle was solved after I read in your column that taking Nexium and other acid-reducing drugs can hinder the absorption of iron and other nutrients. Now I regularly take iron and am no longer anemic.
Minerals like iron and calcium are absorbed best when there is acid in the stomach. Powerful acid-suppressing drugs like Nexium can interfere with this process and may also hinder absorption of vitamin B-12. Inadequate levels of this vitamin also can cause anemia.
Joe Graedon is a pharmacologist and Teresa Graedon an expert in medical anthropology and nutrition.
www.peoplespharmacy.com
