Adult Patients
Administration of lisinopril to patients with hypertension results in a reduction of both supine and standing blood pressure to about the same extent with no compensatory tachycardia. Symptomatic postural hypotension is usually not observed although it can occur and should be anticipated in volume and/or salt-depleted patients (see WARNINGS). When given together with thiazide-type diuretics, the blood pressure lowering effects of the two drugs are approximately additive.
In most patients studied, onset of antihypertensive activity was seen at one hour after oral administration of an individual dose of lisinopril, with peak reduction of blood pressure achieved by 6 hours. Although an antihypertensive effect was observed 24 hours after dosing with recommended single daily doses, the effect was more consistent and the mean effect was considerably larger in some studies with doses of 20 mg or more than with lower doses. However, at all doses studied, the mean antihypertensive effect was substantially smaller 24 hours after dosing than it was 6 hours after dosing.
In some patients, achievement of optimal blood pressure reduction may require two to four weeks of therapy.
The antihypertensive effects of lisinopril are maintained during long-term therapy. Abrupt withdrawal of lisinopril has not been associated with a rapid increase in blood pressure, or a significant increase in blood pressure compared to pretreatment levels.
Two dose-response studies utilizing a once-daily regimen were conducted in 438 mild to moderate hypertensive patients not on a diuretic. Blood pressure was measured 24 hours after dosing. An antihypertensive effect of lisinopril was seen with 5 mg in some patients. However, in both studies blood pressure reduction occurred sooner and was greater in patients treated with 10, 20, or 80 mg of lisinopril. In controlled clinical studies, lisinopril 20 to 80 mg has been compared in patients with mild to moderate hypertension to hydrochlorothiazide 12.5 to 50 mg and with atenolol 50 to 200 mg; and in patients with moderate to severe hypertension to metoprolol 100 to 200 mg. It was superior to hydrochlorothiazide in effects on systolic and diastolic pressure in a population that was 3/4 Caucasian. Lisinopril was approximately equivalent to atenolol and metoprolol in effects on diastolic blood pressure, and had somewhat greater effects on systolic blood pressure.
Lisinopril had similar effectiveness and adverse effects in younger and older (> 65 years) patients. It was less effective in Blacks than in Caucasians.
In hemodynamic studies in patients with essential hypertension, blood pressure reduction was accompanied by a reduction in peripheral arterial resistance with little or no change in cardiac output and in heart rate. In a study in nine hypertensive patients, following administration of lisinopril, there was an increase in mean renal blood flow that was not significant. Data from several small studies are inconsistent with respect to the effect of lisinopril on glomerular filtration rate in hypertensive patients with normal renal function, but suggest that changes, if any, are not large.
In patients with renovascular hypertension lisinopril has been shown to be well tolerated and effective in controlling blood pressure (see PRECAUTIONS).
Pediatric Patients
In a clinical study involving 115 hypertensive pediatric patients 6 to 16 years of age, patients who weighed < 50 kg received either 0.625, 2.5, or 20 mg of lisinopril daily and patients who weighed ≥ 50 kg received either 1.25, 5, or 40 mg of lisinopril daily. At the end of 2 weeks, lisinopril administered once daily lowered trough blood pressure in a dose-dependent manner with consistent antihypertensive efficacy demonstrated at doses > 1.25 mg (0.02 mg/kg). This effect was confirmed in a withdrawal phase, where the diastolic pressure rose by about 9 mmHg more in patients randomized to placebo than it did in patients who were randomized to remain on the middle and high doses of lisinopril. The dose-dependent antihypertensive effect of lisinopril was consistent across several demographic subgroups: age, Tanner stage, gender, and race. In this study, lisinopril was generally well-tolerated.
In the above pediatric studies, lisinopril was given either as tablets or in a suspension for those children and infants who were unable to swallow tablets or who required a lower dose than is available in tablet form (see DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION, Preparation of Suspension (for 200 mL of a 1 mg/mL Suspension)).
Lisinopril tablets USP are indicated for the treatment of hypertension to lower blood pressure. Lowering blood pressure lowers the risk of fatal and non-fatal cardiovascular events, primarily strokes and myocardial infarctions. These benefits have been seen in controlled trials of antihypertensive drugs from a wide variety of pharmacologic classes including lisinopril.
Control of high blood pressure should be part of comprehensive cardiovascular risk management, including, as appropriate, lipid control, diabetes management, antithrombotic therapy, smoking cessation, exercise, and limited sodium intake. Many patients will require more than 1 drug to achieve blood pressure goals. For specific advice on goals and management, see published guidelines, such as those of the National High Blood Pressure Education Program’s Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure (JNC).
Numerous antihypertensive drugs, from a variety of pharmacologic classes and with different mechanisms of action, have been shown in randomized controlled trials to reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, and it can be concluded that it is blood pressure reduction, and not some other pharmacologic property of the drugs, that is largely responsible for those benefits. The largest and most consistent cardiovascular outcome benefit has been a reduction in the risk of stroke, but reductions in myocardial infarction and cardiovascular mortality also have been seen regularly.
Elevated systolic or diastolic pressure causes increased cardiovascular risk, and the absolute risk increase per mmHg is greater at higher blood pressures, so that even modest reductions of severe hypertension can provide substantial benefit. Relative risk reduction from blood pressure reduction is similar across populations with varying absolute risk, so the absolute benefit is greater in patients who are at higher risk independent of their hypertension (for example, patients with diabetes or hyperlipidemia), and such patients would be expected to benefit from more aggressive treatment to a lower blood pressure goal.
Some antihypertensive drugs have smaller blood pressure effects (as monotherapy) in Black patients, and many antihypertensive drugs have additional approved indications and effects (e.g., on angina, heart failure, or diabetic kidney disease). These considerations may guide selection of therapy.
Lisinopril tablets USP may be administered alone or with other antihypertensive agents.
In clinical trials in patients with hypertension treated with lisinopril, discontinuation of therapy due to clinical adverse experiences occurred in 5.7% of patients. The overall frequency of adverse experiences could not be related to total daily dosage within the recommended therapeutic dosage range.
For adverse experiences occurring in greater than 1% of patients with hypertension treated with lisinopril or lisinopril plus hydrochlorothiazide in controlled clinical trials, and more frequently with lisinopril and/or lisinopril plus hydrochlorothiazide than placebo, comparative incidence data are listed in the table below:
PERCENT OF PATIENTS IN CONTROLLED STUDIES | Lisinopril (n = 1349) Incidence (discontinuation) | Lisinopril/Hydrochlorothiazide (n = 629) Incidence (discontinuation) | Placebo (n = 207) Incidence (discontinuation) |
Body As A Whole | | | |
Fatigue | 2.5 (0.3) | 4 (0.5) | 1 (0) |
Asthenia | 1.3 (0.5) | 2.1 (0.2) | 1 (0) |
Orthostatic effects | 1.2 (0) | 3.5 (0.2) | 1 (0) |
| | | |
Cardiovascular | | | |
Hypotension | 1.2 (0.5) | 1.6 (0.5) | 0.5 (0.5) |
| | | |
Digestive | | | |
Diarrhea | 2.7 (0.2) | 2.7 (0.3) | 2.4 (0) |
Nausea | 2 (0.4) | 2.5 (0.2) | 2.4 (0) |
Vomiting | 1.1 (0.2) | 1.4 (0.1) | 0.5 (0) |
Dyspepsia | 0.9 (0) | 1.9 (0) | 0 (0) |
| | | |
Musculoskeletal | | | |
Muscle cramps | 0.5 (0) | 2.9 (0.8) | 0.5 (0) |
| | | |
Nervous/Psychiatric | | | |
Headache | 5.7 (0.2) | 4.5 (0.5) | 1.9 (0) |
Dizziness | 5.4 (0.4) | 9.2 (1) | 1.9 (0) |
Paresthesia | 0.8 (0.1) | 2.1 (0.2) | 0 (0) |
Decreased libido | 0.4 (0.1) | 1.3 (0.1) | 0 (0) |
Vertigo | 0.2 (0.1) | 1.1 (0.2) | 0 (0) |
| | | |
Respiratory | | | |
Cough | 3.5 (0.7) | 4.6 (0.8) | 1 (0) |
Upper respiratory | | | |
infection | 2.1 (0.1) | 2.7 (0.1) | 0 (0) |
Common cold | 1.1 (0.1) | 1.3 (0.1) | 0 (0) |
Nasal congestion | 0.4 (0.1) | 1.3 (0.1) | 0 (0) |
Influenza | 0.3 (0.1) | 1.1 (0.1) | 0 (0) |
| | | |
Skin | | | |
Rash | 1.3 (0.4) | 1.6 (0.2) | 0.5 (0.5) |
| | | |
Urogenital | | | |
Impotence | 1 (0.4) | 1.6 (0.5) | 0 (0) |
Chest pain and back pain were also seen, but were more common on placebo than lisinopril.