{"id":634626,"date":"2025-12-23T09:30:01","date_gmt":"2025-12-23T14:30:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=634626"},"modified":"2025-12-12T15:30:32","modified_gmt":"2025-12-12T20:30:32","slug":"does-lisinopril-lower-heart-rate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/does-lisinopril-lower-heart-rate\/","title":{"rendered":"Does lisinopril lower heart rate?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Lisinopril<\/span><\/a>, also sold under the brand name <\/span>Zestril<\/span><\/a>, is a commonly prescribed antihypertensive medication used to lower high blood pressure and protect the heart. Like any medication, it can cause side effects, though the most frequent ones\u2014such as dry cough, dizziness, or headache\u2014are typically mild. Still, many people taking lisinopril wonder whether it can also affect their heart rate. Here\u2019s what to know about how lisinopril works and whether it plays a role in slowing or changing your heartbeat.<\/span><\/p>\n

Can lisinopril lower heart rate?<\/span><\/h2>\n

When your blood pressure drops, your body may respond by making your heart beat faster. Because lisinopril decreases high blood pressure, some assume that it must also directly affect heart rate. But it doesn\u2019t act on the heart; it relaxes blood vessels. \u201cBy itself, <\/span>lisinopril<\/span><\/a> does not directly slow the heart or speed it up, because it affects large blood vessels rather than the heart\u2019s electrical system,\u201d explains <\/span>Geny Augustine<\/span><\/a>, MD, a family medicine provider with Solace Health in Phoenix, Arizona. Yet, there are certain circumstances when you might notice heartbeat changes while taking lisinopril. For example, when taking lisinopril with certain other medications.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This effect, like most side effects, is most likely to occur when you first start on the medication or when your provider increases your dose. \u201cI sometimes see patients have a reflex increase in their heart rate when their blood pressure drops rapidly, say, if they are beginning to take the drug or increasing the dose,\u201d adds Dr. Augustine.<\/span><\/p>\n\t\t

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How lisinopril works<\/span><\/h2>\n

You may know that lisinopril <\/span>lowers blood pressure<\/span><\/a>, thereby reducing the risk of experiencing a <\/span>heart attack<\/span><\/a> (also known as myocardial infarction) or <\/span>stroke<\/span><\/a>. However, most don\u2019t know <\/span>how<\/span><\/i> it achieves that goal.<\/span><\/p>\n

Lisinopril belongs to a class of medications known as angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, commonly referred to as <\/span>ACE inhibitors<\/span><\/a>. The American College of Cardiology\/American Heart Association (ACC\/AHA) recommends ACE inhibitors as first-line agents for managing hypertension.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It works by blocking the conversion of one protein (angiotensin I) into another (angiotensin II), which would cause the blood vessels in the body to constrict, or tighten. When you take lisinopril, it helps the blood vessels relax, making it easier for blood to flow through them and transport oxygen to the heart. The result: your blood pressure decreases. The improved blood flow also reduces the strain on the heart muscle, which has to work harder to pump blood when you have high blood pressure.<\/span><\/p>\n

In addition to ACE inhibitors, other classes of <\/span>blood pressure medication<\/span><\/a> include:<\/span><\/p>\n