Have been told I need to start taking Ramipril(lowest dose) for bp, have affected bp for the better by life style changes,now avg 145/85 was 170/90

any one have any experience of taking them, side effects or general tales good or bad

Cheers

Started Ramipril 2.5mg in 2008 after kidney stones this got upped to 10mg by 2010 then lowered to 5mg and 2.5mg.
It gave me severe postural Hypotension on the 10 and 5mg dose and dizziness on the 2.5 mg, and a constant dry cough.
I eventually got put on Lisinopril 2.5 instead which is much better.

Gave me itchy legs and was dizzy on them, I’m on candesartan now, no issues

Back in November 2019 after years of borderline BP being monitored by my GP my BP crept up and my GP threatened to medicate.

I was told I needed to lose weight. I’m a big guy big frame 6’3″ ex rugger so could ‘get away’ with excess timber for so long. A lot of people telling me I’m not fat though I was definitely in the overweight category if you plumbed my height / weight into NHS website.

I asked for one last chance. GP recommended Dr Michael Mosley’s Blood Sugar Diet. It’s a low carb, higher fat diet. Snake oil to some people on here but it worked for me.

3.5 stone lost. The amazing thing was the BP was sorted within the first week of the diet. And sticking to the principles of the diet I’ve kept the weight off.

Maybe your circumstances are different to mine but I thought I’d post to mention how I avoided BP meds.

I was on Ramipril about 15 years ago for a couple of years, alongside Bisoprolol. I have heard that Ramipril can cause aggression, and I was more aggressive then than I have ever been. Whether that was the Ramipril or just being really effed off with moving very slowly, getting kidney stones and gout as a side effect of the Bisoprolol I don’t know…

Give’s me a dry tickly cough in the afternoon. Weird.

tried some other BP tablets but they made my ankles swell up so went back on Ramipril.

BP now 114/70 up to 120/84. I can live with the cough to be honest.

I’m on 5mg daily together with 5mg Amlodipine. 10mg Statin too. Never had a single side-effect from any of them. I’ve been on them for a few years. My blood pressure and cholesterol are fine (unsurprisingly). I’m fit as a fiddle and still getting Strava PBs.

I’m on 4mg daily of Perindopril. I haven’t noticed any side effects. Despite a huge loss of weight and dietry changes my blood pressure goes up if I stop taking them so it looks like I’m stuck with them.

I’ve lost track of the types and doses of beta blockers and calcium channel blockers I’ve tried for a heart issue. Yours was one of them. None of them seem to agree with me, the dry cough, shortness of breath and generally feeling awful to some degree.

I do have friends on BBs for heart or bp issues who seem to have no issue what so ever.

Was on Ramipril a few years ago. Felt tired and dizzy all the time, finally gave up after passing out on a train and fitting. Got moved to Amlodipene since then, no issues apart from a dry cough – and I can live with that in comparison!

I too went on Ramipril.
Initially it was fine, but slowly developed an evening cough and some tiredness that just kept getting worse. I also only realised after the change, I was the grumpiest git ever to my wife and kids.
The move to Losartan took a few doctor visits – they refused to believe the symptoms were related until I had a nurse who’s husband had exactly the same symptoms. She went through to doctor and persuaded a change.
No issues now with Losartan.

It’s a case of horses for courses with BP medications!

There are reasons why ramipril (an ARB) should have a lower cough incidence than ACE inhibitors, but people react differently to medication.

Keep trying one until it suits you!

I’m assuming the 2.5mg is the lowest doseage, the dizzyness doesn’t sound good at all, work at heights and lots of driving😬

Hopefully I will be lucky and get no side effects, with minimum fine tuning

Ps Cheers all for input👍🏼

There are reasons why ramipril (an ARB) should have a lower cough incidence than ACE inhibitors, but people react differently to medication.

Mistyped there ? ( ramipril is an ACEI, not an ARB. Losartan’s the ARB )

ACEIs are tolerated just fine by many many people as are lots of the alternatives; nothing suits everybody. Pretty much everything folk have reported up there is well-known to happen in SOME patients
Those who get coughs are describing a legit adverse effect that prompts a change of drug class for most of them
The itch etc, also legit but rarer (though probably the same underlying mechanism)
The mood, tiredness etc also reasonably common (me? – no idea how that comes about)

Dizziness is MOSTLY when first starting (everybody gets low dose to start) or on dose increases. Majority don’t get it continuously
Fitting – !! (I wonder what your sodium level and/or BP were at the time)

As said, give it a go & see. Chances are you’ll be one of those who gets on just fine with it

Been on it for ages…no side effects. I did read recently that ARBs might be more effective if you’re over 55 but doc said no need to change if ramipril is working with no side affects

Been on it for about 8yrs with no side effects. Probably why they still prescribe it for me.

Have been on it for about a year. 2.5mg. No side effects at all.

Leg cramps and what others mention for 1st 2 weeks. Totally fine after.

Cut sugar to zero, go lean meat / fish paleo / gym / sauna every day BP goes bk to normal without need for it.

Winter and lockdown hmmmm.

Sure the same is true for many.

Cut sugar to zero, go lean meat / fish paleo / gym / sauna every day BP goes bk to normal without need for it.

Not when you’ve an issue that is causing it.

10mg of Ramipril here. No side effects.

Been on Ramipril for 10 years – no side effects for me.

Also on Amlodipine and Bendroflumethiazide.

It’s a juggling act when you first go on BP meds.

Ramipril and amlodipine here. Getting itch ankles sometimes and swollen ankles if I don’t drink enough water and am on my feet. Checked my bp and it’s still up. Need to lose some weight and get fitness l evils back up but stopped running as foot injured and the pools been closed since end nov!

I’ve been taking beetroot capsules and garlic capsules. Thing is my bp monitor makes me stressed as soon as I put it on!

Mistyped there ? ( ramipril is an ACEI, not an ARB. Losartan’s the ARB )

Apologies for the mistype as you mentioned above!

ARB’s theoretically should cause less bradykinin build-up which is thought to be the mechanism for the cough side effect.

Also – having a dry cough at the moment isn’t a good look! 😳