Serum zinc is unaffected by effective captopril treatment of hypertension.
Captopril, a sulfhydryl compound that lowers blood pressure by inhibiting the zinc metalloenzyme, angiotensin converting enzyme, may occasionally result in ageusia, a symptom also associated with zinc deficiency. We therefore studied serum zinc and copper concentrations in a group of 14 essential hypertensive subjects before treatment and after 5-6 months of antihypertensive oral monotherapy with either captopril (50 mg, twice daily; n = 7) or other drugs (propranolol or alphamethyldopa; n = 7). Serum zinc and copper were unaltered by either regimen. Thus, zinc depletion is an unlikely consequence of long-term exposure to captopril, at least in the dosages commonly used for treatment of hypertension.
O'Connor
D T
DT
Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego.
Strause
L
L
Saltman
P
P
Parmer
R J
RJ
Cervenka
J
J
D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002216:Captopril / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003300:Copper / Q000097:blood; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008750:Methyldopa / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011433:Propranolol / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011897:Random Allocation; D013649:Taste / Q000187:drug effects; D015032:Zinc / Q000097:blood*
D008750:Methyldopa; D003300:Copper; D002216:Captopril; D011433:Propranolol; D015032:Zinc