ACE Inhibitor question-please help

[Debster]

Hi Everyone! I have a quick question that you guys may be able to help with. My mom is 8 months out from mitral valve replacement, and the cardio wants her on an ACE inhibitor. The problem is that she has tried two-Altace and Linisipril and they both make her feel bad-weak, tired-rubbery legs. She is on coreg, plavix, lasix and aspirin too. Anybody else have any experiences like these? Any help is much appreciated-thank you! Debbie

 

[Jkm7]

Hi....Hope you Mom feels better.

I was on toprol xl and my cardio added lisinopril a while ago. I felt no difference when he added that drug. I was only on it for about two weeks though and had to stop it when my potassium level rose too high.

I'm now on coreg instead of the toprol and that makes me feel more fatigued but not excessively.

 

[aussigal]

mm..intersting as I too had no response to ace inhibitors...and was also told the Lipitor (cholesterol one) was possibly going to make my legs ache...now maybe it is just a coi-incidence that the ace inhibitor has brought out the effect of her Cholesterol med?!..I dont know...just a thought i had...i wish her good luck


achey legs are not fun

 

[PaulW]

Lisinopril

Lisinopril

I haven't had any problems with Lisinopril either. In fact, since I started taking it, I've been able to sleep at night for the first time in many years. Coreg, on the other hand, makes me feel a bit tired and gives me a very annoying dry cough. My personal and probably uninformed opinion is that the dosages are sometimes too high for women and smaller men (like myself).Hope your Mom is able to resolve the medication problem.

 

[jeffp]

The current treatment standard being pushed for cardiovascular patients is to be put on ACE inhibitors, regardless of previous symptoms. Studies by PhRMA member companies show decreased future heart risk in those patients on the meds. Many cardiologists feel that even without a history of cardiac vessel disease valve patients have longer term maintenance of higher LVEF with a one year postop course of ACE inhibitors. Similar findings have been found with Coreg, Toprol XL and Lipitor on other cardiovascular factors.

(I am very skeptical of studies from the industry that show dramatic long term improvements in risk reduction in patients with little to no symptoms for the new med that just hits the market. Then when the next new thing comes out old new thing just doesn't seen to cut it anymore.)

 

[Debster]

Thank you so much for your replies. I think she needs to have a chat with her cardio about getting her meds regulated...Deb

 

[Marty]

About two months after my mitral valve relacement the cardiologist took me off all medications- lisinipril, toprol, digoxin, chlorothiazide,percoset, etc. I now take only one pill a day- warfarin.

 

[ALCapshaw2]

Ace Inhibitors and Beta Blockers CAN cause listlessness in higher doses. My cardiologist believes in using the MINIMUM dose that relieves symptoms and not over-medicating. I like that approach!

SO, the next question is WHY does your mom's cardiologist want her on an ACE inhibitor?

'AL Capshaw'

 

[mmarshall]

you may want to have her ask about the dosage levels. the beta blocker...coreg...has more benefits according to my cardio. i was on lisinipril 2 months before my surgery and was then put on coreg. according to my cardio...when you are on a beta blocker....they typically put you on an ace inhibitor as well. lisinipril had no affect on me but i noticed the affects on coreg. you may want to lower the lisinipril dosage or maybe the coreg dosage. coreg has not been bad for me...just slowed my bp down where the lisinipril did nothing. but accroding to my cardio and others i have talked to in the medical field....coreg is the wonder drug for heart patients so you may not want to lower that dosage...of course this could be the big bad empire of medical companies having a hand in the influence...lol anyways...it was explained to me after my surgery about the benefits of coreg..beta blocker....and i thought that meant i was going to be taken off of lisinipril...but i forgot the exact explaination and don't want to mis-inform you...but there are benefits to being put on an ace inhibitor and a beta blocker at the same time.

 

[Debster]

Hi Al! Well-my mom's cardio wants her on both the Coreg and ACE inhibitor because she has heart failure (one major reason why it is a great idea not to wait on having valve surgery-my mom had rheumatic heart disease and waited too long to have the valve replaced) Anyway, long story short-she is on both at the moment but seemed to do much better without the ACE inhibitor, seemed to feel more like her old self. Do both drugs help strengthen the heart's pumping ability? I am so confused!!! Deb

 

[mmarshall]

yes they work better when your mom is on them at the same time. i asked my cardio the same question after surgery. he put me on coreg after surgery and the reasons why made me think that i was going to be taken off of lisinipril. that was 6 months ago and i don't remember the exact wording/explanation he gave me but the heart gets the maximum benefits of the medication when ace inhibitors are taken with beta blockers. hopefully her body will adjust and be able to handle both meds at the same time...because a lot of times....once your cardio puts you on the meds...very rarely do they like to take you off of them.

 

[Kathleen]

Linisipril

Linisipril

What dose is your mother on? I started this med last month for congestive heart failure. My doctor is starting the lowest dose and increasing it in three month intervals. He said the only side effect would be a dry cough. How long has she been on it?
Kathy

 

[francie12]

Our experience with Lisinopril, 20mg once a day, no other meds, is no side-effects, pressure just right, everything great. We are hoping at the next echo in March to see some good results in slowing the progression of the enlarged LV and ascending aorta. Cardio said sometimes you can even see these numbers reverse and actually go down after a year on this stuff. Or in the case of someone still growing (bigtime) hold steady and not increase. Will let you all know in March what we find out.

 

[Debster]

She is on the 2.5 mgs of Altace...I think there is one dose smaller than that, isn't there? She has not been on it very long-she was on the linisopril several weeks, felt bad,was feeling okay after they pulled it and now is feeling just like she did when on that. ( I know-this sounds like a mess!!) She may have not given it enough time..I think gradually increasing the dose is the way to go. She has a new cardio who is very knowledgeable in chf-I am anxious for her to talk to him about all this. Thanks to all on this board...it has been so helpful to me many times-deb