Generic Prinivil

Common use

Prinivil is in a group of drugs called ACE inhibitors. Prinivil is used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension), congestive heart failure, and to improve survival after a heart attack. This medication may also be used to help protect the kidneys from damage due to diabetes.



Dosage and direction

Take this medication by mouth, usually once a day or as directed by your doctor. You may take this drug with or without food. Use this medication regularly in order to get the most benefit from it. To help you remember, use it at the same time each day.

The recommended adult dose of Lisinopril ranges from 2.5 mg to 40 mg daily, depending on the condition being treated.



Precautions

Before taking Lisinopril, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to it; or to other ACE inhibitors (e.g., captopril, benazepril); or if you have any other allergies (including an allergic reaction after exposure to certain membranes used for blood filtering).

Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist your medical history, especially of: kidney disease, liver disease, high blood levels of potassium, severe dehydration (and loss of electrolytes such as sodium), blood vessel disease (e.g., collagen vascular diseases such as lupus, scleroderma).

This drug may make you dizzy. Do not drive, use machinery, or do any activity that requires alertness until you are sure you can perform such activities safely. Limit alcoholic beverages.



Contraindications

This drug can cause serious (possibly fatal) harm to an unborn baby if used during pregnancy. Therefore, it is important to prevent pregnancy while taking this medication. Consult your doctor for more details and to discuss the use of reliable forms of birth control while taking this medication. If you are planning pregnancy, become pregnant, or think you may be pregnant, contact your doctor immediately.

This medication should not be used if you have certain medical conditions. Before using this medicine, consult your doctor or pharmacist if you have: history of an allergic reaction which included swelling of the face/lips/tongue/throat (angioedema).



Possible side effects

You may experience headache, dizziness, lightheadedness, fatigue, nausea, diarrhea, dry cough or blurred vision as your body adjusts to the medication. If any of these effects persist or worsen, notify your doctor or pharmacist promptly.

Tell your doctor immediately if any of these unlikely but serious side effects occur: fainting, decreased sexual ability, chest pain.

Tell your doctor immediately if any of these highly unlikely but very serious side effects occur: change in the amount of urine, vision changes, signs of infection (e.g., fever, chills, persistent sore throat).



Drug interaction

Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicine before checking with your doctor or pharmacist first.

The following medications may affect how lisinopril works or increase the risk of side effects:

nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs; e.g., ibuprofen, indomethacin, naproxen)

diuretics (water pills)

potassium-sparing diuretics (e.g., spironolactone, amiloride, triamterene)

medications that increase potassium levels (e.g., potassium supplements, salt substitutes containing potassium)

medications that lower blood pressure (e.g., beta-blockers)

The following medications may be affected by lisinopril or increase the risk of side effects:

lithium



Missed dose

If you miss a dose, use it as soon as you remember. If it is near the time of the next dose, skip the missed dose and resume your usual dosing schedule. Do not double the dose to catch up.



Overdose

Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine. Symptoms of a Prinivil overdose may include feeling extremely dizzy or light-headed, or fainting.



Storage

Store tablets at room temperature away from light and moisture. Storage temperature ranges differ according to different manufacturers, so consult your pharmacist for more information. Do not store in the bathroom. Keep all medicines away from children and pets.Do not flush medications down the toilet or pour them into a drain unless instructed to do so. Properly discard this product when it is expired or no longer needed.



Disclaimer

We provide only general information about medications which does not cover all directions, possible drug integrations, or precautions. Information at the site cannot be used for self-treatment and self-diagnosis. The specific instructions for a particular patient should be agreed with your health care adviser or doctor in charge of the case. We disclaim reliability of this information and mistakes it could contain. We are not responsible for any direct, indirect, special or other indirect damage as a result of any use of the information on this site and also for consequences of self-treatment.

Clinical Verification

Last Clinically Updated: August 15, 2026

Written By

Dr. Elena Vance, PharmD

Clinical Specialist in Neuropharmacology

Fact Checked By

Marcus Thorne, MS

Biomedical Data & FDA Label Verification

Medically Reviewed By

Dr. Arthur Campbell, MD

Board-Certified Psychiatrist (ABPN)