Captopril Side Effects

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Oct 26, 2023.

Applies to captopril: oral tablet.

Warning

Oral route (Tablet)

When pregnancy is detected, discontinue captopril as soon as possible. Drugs that act directly on the renin-angiotensin system can cause injury and death to the developing fetus.

Serious side effects of Captopril

Along with its needed effects, captopril may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur while taking captopril:

Less common

Chest pain
cloudy urine
fast, pounding, or irregular heartbeat or pulse

Rare

Arm, back, or jaw pain
bloody urine
chest discomfort
chest tightness or heaviness
decreased blood pressure
decreased or increased frequency or amount of urine
dilated neck veins
increased thirst
irregular breathing
large, hive-like swelling on the face, eyelids, lips, tongue, throat, hands, legs, feet, or sex organs
loss of appetite
low blood pressure
lower back or side pain
nausea
paleness or cold feeling in the fingertips and toes
sweating
swelling of the face, fingers, feet, or lower legs
tingling or pain in the fingers or toes when exposed to cold temperatures
troubled breathing
unusual tiredness or weakness
vomiting
weight gain

Incidence not known

Bleeding gums
bloody, black, or tarry stools
blurred vision
chills
confusion
cough
dizziness, faintness, or lightheadedness when getting up suddenly from a lying or sitting position
high fever
painful or difficult urination
pale skin
pinpoint red spots on the skin
sore throat
sores, ulcers, or white spots on the lips or in the mouth
swollen glands
unusual bleeding or bruising

Other side effects of Captopril

Some side effects of captopril may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects.

Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

Less common

Change in taste
feeling of warmth
itching skin
loss of taste
rash
redness of the face, neck, arms, and occasionally, upper chest

For Healthcare Professionals

Applies to captopril: compounding powder, oral tablet.

General

The most common side effect is rash.^[Ref]

Dermatologic

Very common (10% or more): Rash (up to 13.1%)

Common (1% to 10%): Pruritus, alopecia

Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Angioedema

Very rare (less than 0.01%): Urticaria, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, erythema multiforme, photosensitivity, erythroderma, pemphigoid reactions, exfoliative dermatitis^[Ref]

Gastrointestinal

Common (1% to 10%): Nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dry mouth, diarrhea, constipation, gastric irritation

Rare (0.01% to 0.1%): Stomatitis/aphthous ulceration, mouth ulcers, intestinal angioedema

Very rare (less than 0.01%): Glossitis, peptic ulcer, pancreatitis^[Ref]

Nervous system

Common (1% to 10%): Dizziness, taste impairment, loss of taste

Rare (0.01% to 0.1%): Paresthesia, headache, drowsiness

Very rare (less than 0.01%): Cerebrovascular incidents

Frequency not reported: Syncope, ataxia, somnolence^[Ref]

Respiratory

Common (1% to 10%): Cough, dyspnea

Rare (0.01% to 0.1%): Bronchospasm

Very rare (less than 0.01%): Rhinitis, allergic alveolitis/eosinophilic pneumonia^[Ref]

Cardiovascular

Common (1% to 10%): Hypotension

Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Tachycardia or tachyarrhythmia, angina pectoris, palpitations, Raynaud's syndrome, flushing, pallor, myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure

Very rare (less than 0.01%): Cardiac arrest, cardiogenic shock

Frequency not reported: Rhythm disturbances, orthostatic hypotension^[Ref]

Genitourinary

Common (1% to 10%): Proteinuria

Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Polyuria, oliguria, urinary frequency

Rare (less than 0.1%): Impotence^[Ref]

Psychiatric

Common (1% to 10%): Sleep disorder

Rare (0.01% to 0.1%): Loss of libido

Very rare (less than 0.01%): Confusion, depression

Frequency not reported: Nervousness^[Ref]

Other

Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Chest pain, fatigue, malaise

Very rare (less than 0.01%): Gynecomastia, fever

Frequency not reported: Asthenia, alkaline phosphatase elevated^[Ref]

Renal

Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Renal insufficiency, acute renal failure, nephrotic syndrome

Very rare (less than 0.01%): BUN elevated, serum creatinine elevated

Frequency not reported: Glomerulopathy^[Ref]

Metabolic

Rare (0.01% to 0.1%): Anorexia, weight loss, loss of appetite

Very rare (less than 0.01%): Hyperkalemia, hypoglycemia, serum potassium increased, serum sodium decreased

Frequency not reported: Hyponatremia^[Ref]

Ocular

Rare (0.01% to 0.1%): Disturbed vision, dry eye, itchy eye

Very rare (less than 0.01%): Blurred vision^[Ref]

Hematologic

Very rare (less than 0.01%): Neutropenia/agranulocytosis, pancytopenia, anemia, thrombocytopenia, lymphadenopathy, eosinophilia, hemoglobin decreased, hematocrit decreased, leukocytes decreased, thrombocytes decreased, erythrocyte sedimentation rate elevated^[Ref]