Angioedema after Substituting Lisinopril for Captopril

Excerpt

To the Editors: Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors are now among the ten most frequently prescribed drugs in the United States (1). Increased prescription of these inhibitors has exposed more persons to the possibly life-threatening side effect of angioedema (2). The risk for angioedema is estimated to be between 0.1% and 0.2% in patients receiving an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (3). Angioedema commonly involves the face and oropharyngeal tissues and can result in acute airway obstruction that necessitates emergency intervention. Such obstruction has been reported with the three most commonly prescribed of these inhibitors: captopril, enalapril, and lisinopril (2, 3). Other investigators have