Lisinopril and Alcohol: Can We Take Them Together?

As everyone may know, the use of Lisinopril; if not, you can get information below.

In short, Lisinopril is a high blood pressure medication.

If you consume alcohol and Lisinopril to control your blood pressure.

So many questions may arise regarding a combination of both. The blog may clear all your doubts and may give helpful information.

Know All About Lisinopril

Lisinopril is a generic medication which belongs to the drug class known as Angiotensin Converting Enzyme(ACE) inhibitor.

Lisinopril is sold under various brand names called Prinivil, Zestril and Qbrelis. FDA approved it in 1987 to treat hypertension.

You can purchase over the counter lisinopril from a certified online pharmacy but it is required to get a doctor's prescription first.

Lisinopril is used to treat the following conditions-

• Hypertension(high blood pressure)
• Heart attack
• Congestive heart failure
• Protecting kidneys in a patient with Diabetes
• Chronic kidney disease
• Migraines

Lisinopril works by blocking the action of ACE enzymes in the renin-angiotensin system(RAS). This enzyme produces a hormone called angiotensin-II, which helps regulate blood pressure by causing blood vessels to constrict.

Lisinopril prevents angiotensin-I from being converted to angiotensin-II.

By blocking the production of angiotensin-II, Lisinopril keeps blood vessels open and relaxed, lowering blood pressure.

So let's explore the relationship between Lisinopril and Alcohol.

Can I Drink Alcohol While Consuming Lisinopril?

You can't drink Alcohol while consuming hypertension medication(Lisinopril). The effect of alcohol depends on the type of drug the patient is taking.

Before taking Lisinopril, consult your healthcare provider about your medical history and discuss whether drinking Alcohol is safe or what amount of alcohol is safe for you.

Light or moderate alcohol use can cause a very slight decrease in blood pressure which may be dangerous if it happens often.

Maximum more than four drinks in one sitting or Excessive alcohol consumption can cause people to neglect personal care and identity. Thus it increases the risk of heart disease and results in high blood pressure.

If you have a habit of drinking Alcohol, then two drinks for men and one drink for women are suggested.

Drinking Alcohol can lead to short-term and long-term effects, increasing the risk of side effects. So people with hypertension are typically advised to cut back the habit of Alcohol or avoid it entirely.

Does Lisinopril Interact With Alcohol?

Yes, Lisinopril does interact with Alcohol. Lisinopril is an ACE inhibitor considered for treating high blood pressure in many people. When Lisinopril and Alcohol are combined, it is a potent interaction which results in dangerous side effects.

The interaction of Lisinopril with Alcohol reduces the drug's effectiveness.

Studies state that drinking too much alcohol is a common reason for high blood pressure, and it makes the condition worse if we use medication to treat high blood pressure.

When you drink Alcohol and Lisinopril is already in your system, it can lower your blood pressure and lead to experiencing symptoms like dizziness and fainting.

If you notice that Lisinopril makes you dizzy without consuming Alcohol, try to avoid combining it with Alcohol.

Lisinopril and Alcohol can also make blood pressure higher and make the problem of heart failure worse in people who are consuming Lisinopril for such conditions (Spies, C.D., Sander, M., Stangl, K., Fernandez-Sola, J., Preedy, V.R., Rubin, E., Andreasson, S., Hanna, E.Z. and Kox, W.J., 2001).

What is the Connection Between Hypertension and Alcohol?

Regular use of alcohol may lead to addiction and harm to your internal organs. Alcohol acts as a nervous system depressant. There are many disadvantages of consuming Alcohol, and if it is combined with other medication, it undoubtedly impacts our healthy life.

If Alcohol is consumed at a low level, it does not increase blood pressure, but it may lower the blood pressure slightly. Typically more than three drinks can result in higher blood pressure. As many factors work together, the long term effect of Alcohol on Blood pressure may be life-threatening.

What Is Blood Pressure?

Blood pressure is the pressure of pushing blood against the wall of your arteries. The Arteries carry blood from your heart to other parts of your body.

Blood flows at two different pressures-high and low.

Blood pressure higher than usual is termed "High Blood Pressure" or "Hypertension".High blood pressure occurs when the heart contracts and forces blood through the arteries. High pressure tends to cause the most damage when it is elevated.

It damages the lining of arteries which causes scarring and hardening of arteries and eventually leads to blockage. These blockages can block the blood flow to the heart, brain and other essential organs. Heart attacks are the most common complication caused by hypertension.

People with hypertension often don't realise they have it, as it does not cause any symptoms until they have complications like a heart attack or stroke. That's why hypertension is called a "silent killer".

Low blood pressure seems to occur when the heart is relaxed. Low blood pressure is also termed "Hypotension".When blood pressure gets low, it is dangerous, which usually occurs due to disease or a large amount of blood loss. The low blood pressure shows symptoms like dizziness and pale skin. Since low blood pressure is not a long-term health problem, high blood pressure creates more complications.

Let's read below to know how the usage of Alcohol affects the process of blood pressure.

How Does Alcohol Affect Blood Pressure?

There are many ways in which Alcohol indirectly affects blood pressure.

• The nervous system plays an essential role in controlling blood pressure; thus, Alcohol is known to affect the process of the nervous system.
• Pressure receptors are Baroreceptors. They sense the blood pressure and relay the information to the brain to maintain proper blood pressure. Thus Alcohol affects the changes in pressure receptors by making blood pressure higher.
• Cortisol is the primary(main) stress hormone that raises blood pressure, and Alcohol increases the amount of Cortisol and thus, blood pressure increases.
• Alcohol increases the amount of calcium in muscles those line arteries; this can cause arteries to become more constricted, elevating blood pressure.
• Alcohol interacts with vasoconstrictor hormone to increase blood pressure, causing arteries to constrict and retain fluid filtered in the kidney.
• People who are overweight are known to increase blood pressure. The empty calories in alcohol lead to weight gain over the long term and further increase blood pressure.

Since there is no single factor that results in higher blood pressure due to the usage of Alcohol, it is a combination of factors that increases blood pressure.

Side Effects and Risks of Combining Lisinopril and Alcohol?

Mixing Lisinopril with Alcohol can lead to

• Dizziness
• Lightheadedness
• Fainting
• Arrhythmia(irregular heartbeat)
• Other heart problem

Avoid doing activities like driving a car or operating machinery, which require concentration and coordination while consuming Alcohol.Extreme feeling of dizziness or fainting may increase the risk of falling, which may harm you. Don't even take a single drink of alcohol without knowing its effect on your body while taking Lisinopril.

Which People Are More At Risk When Combining Alcohol With Lisinopril?

Everyone has an equal chance of risk if they intake both Alcohol and Lisinopril, but we can't define which group of people have more trouble.

But the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism states that more risk is reported among such groups of people.

• Older people above 65 years
• Women
• People who take multiple medications

This study was conducted by niaaa.nih.gov

Conclusion

Alcohol shows a negative impact on your lifestyle. The interaction of any medication may give a bad result.

Taking Lisinopril and Alcohol together can be a dangerous combination since there is an advanced connection between alcohol and blood pressure which affects essential organs.

The combined intake may show a positive effect on blood pressure by increasing or decreasing it. It may cause common effects like dizziness and fainting and lead to serious effects and worsen the heart problem.

So take advice from health care providers before using Lisinopril to know its benefits and risks and mostly avoid the usage of Lisinopril and alcohol together.