{"id":635769,"date":"2026-04-07T09:30:46","date_gmt":"2026-04-07T13:30:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=635769"},"modified":"2026-04-01T15:02:29","modified_gmt":"2026-04-01T19:02:29","slug":"does-lisinopril-cause-ed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/does-lisinopril-cause-ed\/","title":{"rendered":"Does lisinopril cause ED?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Lisinopril<\/span><\/a> is a high blood pressure medication prescribed on its own to treat hypertension in adults and children older than 6, and alongside other medications as a treatment for heart failure. It is also used after a heart attack to improve outcomes. Lisinopril is an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor that is not known to cause erectile dysfunction (ED) and may, in fact, help improve erectile function in some people.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Can lisinopril cause erectile dysfunction?<\/span><\/h2>\n

In short, no, <\/span>lisinopril<\/span><\/a> (brand name Zestril) does not usually cause ED, a common men’s health issue. While other classes of antihypertensive therapy, such as beta blockers, may cause sexual performance problems, ACE inhibitors like lisinopril usually do not.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Unlike older blood pressure medications (like certain beta blockers or thiazide diuretics), ACE inhibitors like lisinopril are generally considered neutral or even mildly beneficial for erectile function,” explains <\/span>Justin Houman, MD<\/span><\/a>, a board-certified urologist and fellowship-trained men\u2019s sexual and reproductive health specialist. “That said, individual responses vary, and some patients report ED after starting it\u2014but causation is not well established.” Sometimes two events occur together, but one does not cause the other.<\/span><\/p>\n

Common side effects of lisinopril include a dry cough, dizziness, headache, and fatigue. \u201cIt is not a common cause of sexual dysfunction occurring in less than 1% of its users and is considered a better option for sexual health compared to other medications used for hypertension,” says George Ellis, MD, a urologic surgeon based in Orlando, Florida. In fact, “some patients may see improvement in overall vascular health, which can alleviate ED caused by high blood pressure,” adds Dr. Ellis.<\/span><\/p>\n\t\t

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What the research says<\/span><\/h3>\n

A <\/span>study<\/span><\/a> published in <\/span>The Journal of Clinical Hypertension<\/span><\/i> found that lisinopril had no significant effect on sexual function in comparison to other ACE inhibitors. Another <\/span>study<\/span><\/a> in the same journal found that while some patients using lisinopril experienced an initial brief decline in sexual performance, they resumed their usual sexual activity while continuing treatment, while users of other blood pressure drugs, such as atenolol, did not. “Rarely, men may experience new ED, which often resolves within a month of starting treatment,\u201d notes Dr. Ellis.<\/span><\/p>\n

The ACE inhibitor effect<\/span><\/h3>\n

Dr. Houman explains that ACE inhibitors work by blocking the conversion of angiotensin I to angiotensin II, which is a vasoconstrictor. This leads to widening of the blood vessels (vasodilation) and reduced aldosterone levels, which translate into less sodium and less water retention. With lower blood pressure and reduced vascular resistance, ED should actually improve. “From a sexual health standpoint, improved vascular relaxation should theoretically support erections, not impair them,” Dr. Houman concludes.<\/span><\/p>\n

Other ACE inhibitors include <\/span>enalapril<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>benazepril<\/span><\/a>, ramipril, and captopril.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Why correlation isn\u2019t causation<\/span><\/h3>\n

“If a patient develops ED while on lisinopril, the medication is rarely the primary driver; it\u2019s usually the underlying vascular disease,” Dr. Houman says.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s more likely that an underlying medical condition, such as uncontrolled hypertension, worsening heart disease, or Type 2 diabetes (commonly associated with high blood pressure), is causing ED.”All three conditions damage blood vessels (the endothelium) and impair blood flow, leading to erectile dysfunction,” Dr. Ellis says.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Erections are fundamentally vascular events,” Dr. Houman says. “Anything that damages blood vessels negatively affects erections.” Hypertension damages the lining of major arteries, which reduces penile blood flow. Atherosclerosis (cardiovascular disease) causes plaque buildup, which also impairs inflow. Type 2 diabetes leads to microvascular damage and neuropathy, which causes impaired signaling and blood flow. The result is a reduced ability to achieve an erection. “ACE inhibitors do not significantly increase rates of ED. Compared to other antihypertensives, ACE inhibitors are among the least likely to impair sexual function.” In fact, they may <\/span>help<\/span><\/i> ED by improving the underlying condition causing it.<\/span><\/p>\n

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