Yes it’s true that the blood pressure drug Lisinopril can cause you to pass out.
That’s a tough situation to be in: hearing you have high blood pressure but that the medication for this can cause a blackout.
So imagine being told that you need a drug such as Lisinopril to lower your high blood pressure (or increase the “squeezing” ability of your heart) — but that this drug can also cause you to black out as a side effect.
“Yes, Lisinopril can cause blackouts if the person is very sensitive to the medication, meaning their blood pressure drops significantly in response to the medication, and such a precipitous drop can cause one to suddenly black out,” says Dr. Sameer Sayeed, a cardiologist at ColumbiaDoctors of Somers, NY.
It’s also possible that a person can seemingly be compatible with Lisinopril for a very long time — until the state of their body becomes compromised, making them more vulnerable to blacking out or fainting.
An example of that incompatibility would be recent major surgery.
This can make the body more sensitive to Lisinopril, causing a big drop in blood pressure when the patient quickly rises to a standing position — leading to a fainting episode or feeling like the room is “going black.”
How common is fainting from Lisinopril?
“This is not that common with Lisinopril, but can happen especially if the person is dehydrated or not eating or drinking enough, or is already on other BP medications.”
There’s no way to predict ahead of time with certainty whether a given patient will have this particular side effect.
Reducing the Chance of a Blackout
To reduce fainting risk on lisinopril at home, you should stay well-hydrated, first of all.
One way to ensure this is to get a very large thermos and fill to the top with water at the start of the day, with the goal of finishing all the water by bedtime — in addition to drinking water with your meals and snacks.
Next, be sure to rise slowly from sitting or lying positions; avoid sudden standing.
Also, limit alcohol (better yet, see if you can quit drinking altogether; it’s not good for the blood vessels), and monitor blood pressure regularly.
Dr. Sayeed performs echocardiograms and stress tests at the Midtown Manhattan and Westchester offices at Columbia Doctors. He is also trained in cardiac CT imaging.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
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