Prescription medication · Thiazide Diuretic / ACE Inhibitor Combination

hydrochlorothiazide/lisinopril

Also sold as Zestoretic. Zestoretic is used to treat high blood pressure.

Data updated 2026-05-15

75,364
FDA reports
13
InteractionsSeveral interactions
Rx
Availability

What the data shows

hydrochlorothiazide/lisinopril (Zestoretic) is a prescription Thiazide Diuretic / ACE Inhibitor Combination, with 75,364 FDA adverse-event reports on file, with 13 documented drug interactions.

Reporting volume reflects how widely a drug is used and studied, not how dangerous it is, a FAERS report documents a temporal association, never proof of cause.

hydrochlorothiazide/lisinopril (Zestoretic) is a prescription Thiazide Diuretic / ACE Inhibitor Combination. Zestoretic is used to treat high blood pressure.

Zestoretic is a drug that combines lisinopril and hydrochlorothiazide. It is used to treat high blood pressure.

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What it does

Zestoretic is used to treat high blood pressure.

Common side effects

Dizziness, Headache, Cough

Key warnings

This drug can cause serious harm or death to an unborn baby.

The sections below are summarized in plain English from hydrochlorothiazide/lisinopril's FDA-approved prescribing information. They describe what the official label says, and are not personal medical advice.

How It Works

Zestoretic contains two medicines. Lisinopril is an ACE inhibitor that widens blood vessels. Hydrochlorothiazide is a diuretic that helps your body get rid of extra salt and water, which also lowers blood pressure.

Side Effects (from patient reports)

Based on 75,364 FDA adverse event reports.

Most-reported reactions

Adverse reactions in FAERS for hydrochlorothiazide/lisinopril, by number of reports

reports

What this shows Bars show how often each reaction was reported, not how likely it is to happen, a report records a temporal association, never proof that the drug caused it.

Source FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS)

Serious Warnings

This drug can cause serious harm or death to an unborn baby. Stop taking Zestoretic as soon as you find out you are pregnant.

Known Drug Interactions

Dual Blockade of the Renin-Angiotensin System (RAS) Dual blockade of the RAS with angiotensin receptor blockers, ACE inhibitors, or aliskiren is associated with increased risks of hypotension, hyperkalemia, and changes in renal function (including acute renal failure) compared to monotherapy. Do not co-administer aliskiren with ZESTORETIC in patients with diabetes. Avoid use of aliskiren with ZESTORETIC in patients with renal impairment (GFR < 60 mL/min).

Mechanism: Combining these medications puts too much stress on the system that regulates blood pressure, increasing the risk of fainting and kidney damage.

Drug Interactions Lisinopril Hypotension - Patients on Diuretic Therapy: Patients on diuretics and especially those in whom diuretic therapy was recently instituted, may occasionally experience an excessive reduction of blood pressure after initiation of therapy with lisinopril. The possibility of hypotensive effects with lisinopril can be minimized by either discontinuing the diuretic or increasing the salt intake prior to initiation of treatment with lisinopril. If it is necessary to continue the diuretic, initiate therapy with lisinopril at a dose of 5 mg daily, and provide close...

Mechanism: Taking these medicines together can cause your blood pressure to drop to an unsafe level, especially when you first start the treatment.

The VA NEPHRON trial enrolled 1448 patients with type 2 diabetes, elevated urinary-albumin-to-creatinine ratio, and decreased estimated glomerular filtration rate (GFR 30 mL/min to 89.9 mL/min), randomized them to lisinopril or placebo on a background of losartan therapy and followed them for a median of 2.2 years. Patients receiving the combination of losartan and lisinopril did not obtain any additional benefit compared to monotherapy for the combined endpoint of decline in GFR, end state renal disease, or death, but experienced an increased incidence of hyperkalemia and acute kidney...

Mechanism: Combining these two drugs can cause your potassium levels to rise and may lead to serious kidney problems without providing extra benefits.

No meaningful clinically important pharmacokinetic interactions occurred when lisinopril was used concomitantly with propranolol, digoxin, or hydrochlorothiazide. Hydrochlorothiazide When administered concurrently the following drugs may interact with thiazide diuretics. Cholestyramine and colestipol resins - Absorption of hydrochlorothiazide is impaired in the presence of anionic exchange resins.

Mechanism: There are no major negative interactions when these two medicines are used together, and they are often found in the same pill.

Use of lisinopril with potassium-sparing diuretics (e.g., spironolactone, eplerenone, triamterene, or amiloride), potassium supplements, or potassium-containing salt substitutes may lead to significant increases in serum potassium.

Mechanism: Both of these medicines can cause your body to keep too much potassium, which can lead to dangerously high levels in your blood.

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This is a plain-language summary of FDA-label interaction records and does not provide individual medication-combination directions.

Common Questions

Can I take Zestoretic if I am allergic to sulfa drugs?
You should not take Zestoretic if you are allergic to sulfa drugs.
Can I take Zestoretic if I have diabetes?
Do not take Zestoretic with aliskiren if you have diabetes.
What should I do if I feel dizzy after taking Zestoretic?
Lie down until the dizziness passes. Talk to your doctor if dizziness continues.
Can I take Zestoretic with potassium supplements?
Talk to your doctor before taking potassium supplements with Zestoretic.
How long will I need to take Zestoretic?
You may need to take Zestoretic for a long time to control your blood pressure. Talk to your doctor.
Can Zestoretic cause kidney problems?
Zestoretic can cause kidney problems, especially if you also take NSAIDs. Your doctor will monitor your kidney function.
Can Zestoretic interact with other medications?
Yes, Zestoretic can interact with other medications. Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take.
What are the symptoms of angioedema?
Symptoms of angioedema include swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Can I drink alcohol while taking Zestoretic?
Talk to your doctor about drinking alcohol while taking Zestoretic.
How quickly does Zestoretic start working?
Zestoretic starts working within a few hours, but it may take several weeks to see the full effect.
What are the common side effects of hydrochlorothiazide/lisinopril?
The registry lists Dizziness, Headache, Cough, Feeling tired among the most-reported FAERS reaction terms for hydrochlorothiazide/lisinopril. The compiled record contains 75,364 FDA adverse-event reports. These counts are not an individual symptom assessment.
Does hydrochlorothiazide/lisinopril interact with other medications?
The registry has 13 documented interaction rows for hydrochlorothiazide/lisinopril. Notable source-record pairings include aliskiren, lisinopril, losartan. These rows are not a complete medication review.
What drug class is hydrochlorothiazide/lisinopril?
hydrochlorothiazide/lisinopril belongs to the Thiazide Diuretic / ACE Inhibitor Combination drug class. It requires a prescription (Rx). Zestoretic is used to treat high blood pressure.
What pregnancy or breastfeeding source fields are listed for hydrochlorothiazide/lisinopril?
The FDA label for hydrochlorothiazide/lisinopril contains product-specific pregnancy or breastfeeding language. PlainMeds does not apply that source text to an individual.

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What the FDA Data Shows for hydrochlorothiazide/lisinopril

The FDA label for hydrochlorothiazide/lisinopril (sold under brand names such as Zestoretic) classifies it as a prescription-only medication in the Thiazide Diuretic / ACE Inhibitor Combination class. Zestoretic is used to treat high blood pressure. Official labeling lists 4 commonly reported side effects, including Dizziness, Headache, Cough.

Post-market surveillance from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) captures real-world experience. For this drug, FAERS contains 75,364 voluntary reports. The database also lists 13 documented drug interactions derived from FDA labeling, with the top-flagged interaction rated major severity. Acquisition-cost data is surveyed weekly by CMS and updated as manufacturers report changes.

Report counts do not establish causation, a FAERS entry documents a temporal association, not proof that the drug produced the outcome. Widely prescribed medications naturally accumulate more reports than niche therapies, so raw totals must be interpreted alongside total exposure. Shortage status, recall history, and patent information are separate source-record fields. This page is a public FDA/CMS registry and does not provide medical, treatment, substitution, or medication-change directions.

Data Sources

Drug labeling: FDA Drug Labels (SPL/DailyMed). Adverse events: FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS).

FAERS reports are voluntary and do not establish causation. Drug interactions are derived from FDA labeling and clinical references. This registry does not provide medication decisions.

Last updated: March 31, 2025

PlainMeds is rendered directly from FDA openFDA/FAERS extracts, DailyMed labels, and CMS drug-pricing files, no number is typed in by an editor. FAERS counts, recalls, shortages, and price figures on this page are queried live from those federal extracts. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-05-15. Primary sources: openFDA / FAERS, DailyMed and CMS Part B ASP.

Data currency: FDA FAERS adverse-event reports through 2025, CMS NADAC acquisition-cost pricing effective December 2024, compiled from the source snapshot dated . See our methodology for per-source dates and refresh cadence. Spot a figure that looks wrong? Report a data issue.

All federal data sources used on this page