Cough induced by losartan with resolution after substitution with enalapril

Abstract

Introduction: Cough is an adverse event associated with the angiotensin-converting enzyme (AA inhibitor drugs. ACE inhibitor-induced cough is believed to be related to the accumulation of bradykinin,substance P,and prostaglandins resulting from the inhibition of ACE.Angiotensin-receptor blockers (AARBs) do not have any effect on ACE and theoretically might not cause cough. Therefore, a proposed option in patients suffering with ACE inhibitor -induced cough is to try an ARB.However,this report describes the reverse: a case of lo osarta an-iin nduced cough th hat co om mple etely resolved after it was substituted with an ACE inhibitor, enalapril. Case summary: A 23-yyear-oold, nonsmoking white woman, weighing 73.55 kg,ACE inhibitor naive (before admission),presented to the emergency department at Imam Referral Hospital,Tehran, Iran,with hypertension,proteinuria, and hyperlipidemia.The patient was admitted to the nephrology ward.She was prescribed hydrochlorothiazide 12.55 mg/dd, furosemide 20 mg BID,and simvasta atin 20 mg/dd. The patient had no respiratory illnesses. The patient experienced cough 3 days following the initiation of losartan treatment.The cough continued in this patient for the 2-week dura atio on of lo osarta an treatm ment; however, 1 week after substitution of losartan with enalapril (22.5 mg/dd),the cough resolved completely. Conclusion: This report describes a young woman who developed cough while receiving losartan treatment,which resolved after substitution with the ACE inhibitor enalapril.