Ramipril: Pros and Cons?

[AShelby]

What are your experiences?

[Chappychap]

Okay, it gives a lot of people an annoying, tickly cough.

For most users that cough will reduce over time. However, "over time" doesn't mean days or weeks, you could be talking a full year before the cough reduces down to nothing or nearly nothing (that's how long it took with me, and I'm far from unique in that respect).

Is it worth that wait? Only you can decide, but it's interesting that a fair few doctors and health care professionals stick with Ramipril even though they're just as afflicted by the cough as everyone else. Makes you think, what do they know that's making them stick it out with Ramipril?

[valeriep in reply to Chappychap]

Agreed. It took months, but the cough finally disappeared. Still get the occasional unexpected hacking (which makes me very unpopular in the current times!), but nothing like what it used to be.

[AShelby in reply to Chappychap]

No idea, maybe it's a wonder drug OR cheap!?

[tunybgur in reply to Chappychap]

7 years and still coughing

[AShelby in reply to tunybgur]

damn, that's tough

[Celtic]

Side effects for me were nausea and head pain.

[AShelby in reply to Celtic]

sorry to hear that

[Bingo88]

Hello AShelby. I was on Ramapril for around 15 yrs and had no problems at all But tablets are different with everyone. You just see how you feel Brian

[AShelby in reply to Bingo88]

Thank you Brian. Stay well.

Alys Shelby

[IrisCarter]

I’m lucky as Ramipril has not caused me any problems.

[080311]

Hi, give me a cough, one that just went on and on Cardioligest changed me to Candesartan

[Morritt]

My GP put me on Ramipril about 12 years ago, in addition to my already prescribed meds of Atenalol and Simvastatin. I have had no issues with side effects, at least that l am aware of. Neither do l know if it has made any difference, but hey..........I’m still here!

[AShelby in reply to Morritt]

well done and good for you

[Mikedabike]

I have to stress that this is only personal opinion. In my experience I have found quite a few GP’s are far too ready to prescribe certain drugs. Naturally this all depends on your own circumstances and what you require the drug for. In my case I was prescribed the drug for high blood pressure a few months prior to my surgery. My BP wasn’t even that high to start with. I commenced with the drug and very quickly developed a dry uncomfortable cough. It took me a while to see that the two were connected. As I had been told my BP was high, I began to monitor it daily. For the first week or two my BP dropped to a normal reading. However after that it began to creep up again. I gave the drug a few more weeks, my GP simply increased my dosage, which I wasn’t very happy about. On the increased dosage my BP didn’t change. It was still only in the pre-hypertension area. I persevered with the drug and my persistent dry cough remained and my BP stayed a little high. To my mind I was taking the drug for no real benefits and I stopped taking the drug. My BP didn’t rise any higher and my cough disappeared very quickly. Like I say this is just my personal opinion and clearly the drug will be necessary and of use to very many people.

[AShelby in reply to Mikedabike]

Thank you, everybody's opinion is of interest

[laser189]

Hi

I was prescribed Ramipril about 10 years ago to control blood pressure. Over the years the doseage increased until I was taking 10mg a day.I had no side effects from the drug. Last December I had a heart attack, and two stents fitted where I had two blocked arteries. After the attack the cardiologist said I had a slightly enlarged and stiffened heart which he thought was due to the Ramipril. I am now on 1.25mg twice a day again with no side effects and a blood pressure of 115/75. I am now 75 and I was very fit and active before my attack.

[AShelby in reply to laser189]

oh dear I thought it was prescribed as a preventative!

[Yasyass in reply to AShelby]

I too because my blood pressure was normal but I take Ramipril so do es it help the heart other than lower bp

[laser189 in reply to AShelby]

Ramipril is an ACE inhibitor and as such acts to lower blood pressure. After my attack I am still on Ramipril but at a much lower dose to protect my heart together with a beta blocker. The cardio medics would like to increase the doseage of both but my resting heart rate is already at 45 so they cannot increase the beta blocker and when I tried to increase the Ramipril my blood pressure dropped too far so I stay where I am.

[LHDLondon]

I could not tolerate Ramipril. It gave me a horrid tickly cough. The last thing one wants in the Covid World. My GP took me off it and substituted something else. Your GP will do the same if requested. The cough persisted for 3 months before I put my foot down. Very debilitating and annoying.

[AShelby in reply to LHDLondon]

good for you, too often people don't feel that they can say no to the medical hierarchy

[Handel]

Hi AShelby.

I was put on a very low dose of Ramipril (1.25mg) to go with my current BP tablet, Cardioplen XL.

Our GP said that Ramipril would help my kidneys as I'm a Type 1 diabetic and had a bit of protein in my urine some months back!

I haven't had any problems with Ramipril though.

Good luck xxxx

[AShelby in reply to Handel]

Thank you

[sandrann]

Hi there AShelby, I was on ramipril, alongside other medications, for two and a half years, didn't have a cough as some folks seem to have experienced, but I did have giddynesss when I turned around.

My GP stopped prescribing them.

Enjoy your day, at the moment it's teeming down with rain here in North Essex.

[tunybgur]

I was prescribed Ramipril after a heart attack 7 years ago to help lower my blood pressure, I was put on 7.5mg/day.

My BP did go down to about 125/70 and then 120/70 when 5mg Amlodipine was added, but the biggest drop was due to Bisoprolol when it went down to about 105/60 after starting 1.25mg/day. Bisoprolol was added due to occasional tachycardia attacks, but only a very small dose as my heart rate has always been quite low, about 55bpm, and it went down to about 46 after Bisoprolol!

Anyway, when the Corona virus started I read that ACE inhibitors (Ramipril etc) could possibly increase the chances of getting a severe case due to the increase in ACE2 receptors, this link has subsequently been denied, but I decided to wean myself off them just in case.

To cut a long story short, my cough stopped and my very carefully monitored BP didn't really change at all.

I am 72 and read that ACE inhibitors are less effective in people over 50 so I have decided to stay off them for good.

Good luck

[AShelby in reply to tunybgur]

Very interesting to read your experiences, I do wonder if we need all these drugs, surely there is something that works well and is kinder to our bodies.

[Yasyass in reply to tunybgur]

I asked the gp why I take them if bp was normal and heart rate 70 but since using them these 6mths bp is almost alwaz 65/48 and hr 58 to 60but before was 70 I had a heart attack 4 yrs ago I too don’t know if these tabs are supposed to help or mk things worse

[AShelby in reply to Yasyass]

I think the same as you, why are we taking these things, my BP has never been high!

[NotAllWhoWonder]

The "Ramipril Cough". You're going to hate it...

[AShelby in reply to NotAllWhoWonder]

Oh, cheers for that!

[Milkfairy Heart Star]

Hi

Has the doctor who prescribed the Ramipril explained why they feel it is important for you to take this medication?

ACE inhibitors such as Ramipril are used to treat a variety of heart conditions.

The BHF has some information that may help.

bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo...

bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo...

My personal experience of Ramipril was that it made my blood pressure drop too much. Which is a pity as it is meant to help treat my heart condition

[AShelby in reply to Milkfairy]

not really, I couldn't tolerate entresto so this was the alternative despite the patient info leaflet saying if you have "ever used entresto don't use ramipril"!!

[tunybgur]

Hi TRST,

Extract below from BHF data on ACE inhibitors with link to full article:

'Guidelines from NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) and the British Hypertension Society recommend ACE inhibitors as the most suitable drug for people under the age of 55. People over 55 are less responsive to renin so, for high blood pressure alone, ACE inhibitors would not be the first drug prescribed'.

bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo...

I'm still not sure about the possible link between ACE inhibitors and a more severe reaction to Covid 19.

Virtually every Covid fatality suffered with another underlying medical condition of which 76% was high blood pressure! My question is 'how many were taking an ACE inhibitor for this condition?'

Although we are assured there is no link, I'm still happier being off them.

Good luck