Do you take lisinopril for congestive heart failure, high blood pressure, or another cardiac condition?
This common ACE inhibitor drug was prescribed over 104,000 times in 2017, so you’re not alone if you’re wondering how long lisinopril stays in your system.
It’s not a typical “drug of abuse” but you might be wondering if it can show up on a drug screening. Millions of Americans take drug tests for work every year, so it’s a common concern with prescription drugs.
Here’s what you should know about lisinopril’s effects and whether it’s detectable on a lab test:
How Long Do Lisinopril Effects Last?
If you’re taking lisinopril to reduce your blood pressure, then its body and brain effects can start within hours.
Your blood pressure should stabilize within hours of starting lisinopril.
The side effects start quickly and can include:
- Cough
- Diarrhea
- Dizziness
- Headache
- Sleepiness
The effects start to wane within 12 hours or so. You may be asked to take lisinopril twice a day to keep enough of it in your system. Always take lisinopril according to your doctor’s directions.
For heart failure, the effects of lisinopril can take a few weeks to begin. It’s important to be patient and keep taking the medication even if it doesn’t work right away.
Lisinopril causes pre-birth injury. Never take lisinopril if you’re pregnant.
How Long Does Lisinopril Stay in Your System?
The length of time it takes for a drug to leave your system depends on its half-life.
Lisinopril has a half-life of 12.6 hours. That means it takes 12.6 hours to get half of the drug out of your system.
It takes five half-lives to get the drug out of your system, so you can expect the drug to stick around for about two and a half days.
This varies from person to person. It’s possible for lisinopril to stay in your system longer if you have kidney disease or have trouble excreting drugs.
How Long Does Lisinopril Stay in Lab Tests?
The amount of time lisinopril shows up on a lab test depends on:
- The type of test, e.g. hair, urine, blood, or saliva testing
- Your metabolism, which can include your genetics, age, and weight
- Lisinopril usage, including dosage, the last time it was taken, and how often
This is not the same for everyone. The length of time you can detect lisinopril varies from person to person and from test to test.
How Long Does Lisinopril Stay in Your Urine?
Lisinopril can stay in your urine for up to 3 days after use. A urine test can’t detect amounts of lisinopril. However, it can tell whether you’ve taken the drug recently or not.
Some doctors use urine testing to find out if their patients are taking their medication as directed. Lisinopril isn’t part of a standard urine panel for illicit drug use.
How Long Does Lisinopril Stay in Your Hair?
In theory, lisinopril could stay in your hair for at least a month. Your hair can show evidence of many kinds of drug use within 30 days of use.
In reality, you’re not likely to receive a hair test for lisinopril. The drug is considered to have low potential for abuse. It doesn’t cause euphoria and it’s not part of most standard drug panels.
How Long Does Lisinopril Stay in Your Blood?
Like urine tests, blood tests can detect lisinopril for up to 3 days after use. This isn’t an exact figure and it can vary based on factors like metabolism and dosage.
You’re unlikely to have a blood test that checks for lisinopril. Your doctor may check lisinopril levels with a blood serum test if they need to know your levels. But even that is unlikely.
How Long Does Lisinopril Stay in Your Saliva?
Lisinopril stays in your saliva for the same amount of time as your blood serum. That means lisinopril and its byproducts can stay in your saliva for up to 3 days.
However, you probably won’t ever have a saliva test or a buccal swab test for lisinopril. That’s because lisinopril isn’t part of most routine drug screening panels.
Can You Detox From Lisinopril Faster?
You can’t make your body detox from lisinopril or any drug faster. That’s because detox is controlled by many factors.
They can include your:
- Drug use patterns, including the frequency of use
- Genetics
- Health
- Lifestyle
- Metabolism
You can control some of these factors but definitely not all of them! The best way to detox from lisinopril is to abstain from the drug completely. A drug rehab center can help you recover from lisinopril abuse.
You should never stop taking lisinopril without talking to your doctor! Stopping cardiac medication suddenly can be dangerous to your health.
Most people don’t develop a withdrawal syndrome from stopping lisinopril. But you can still experience rebound hypertension if you stop lisinopril too fast. This is high blood pressure caused by stopping your medication abruptly.
Get Help For Prescription Drug Addiction
Even though lisinopril isn’t considered a “drug of abuse” you can still become addicted to it. You can develop addiction anytime you misuse a substance.
If you’re worried about prescription drugs taking over your life, you’re not alone. At Recovering Champions, we provide compassionate, non-judgmental addiction care.
Your treatment plan for prescription drug abuse can include:
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy: This treatment is known as CBT. It helps you explore the reasons you use drugs so you can change that behavior.
- Dialectical behavior therapy: DBT helps you learn mindfulness techniques and apply them to stressful situations. This can help you learn healthy coping methods—no drugs involved!
- Group therapy: It’s common for someone living with an addiction to feel alone, but that couldn’t be farther from the truth. Group therapy helps you realize that you can get through this struggle.
- Medication-assisted treatment: MAT is the use of drugs such as Suboxone to control cravings. This can increase the odds of success in alcohol or opioid treatment.
Now’s the time to start your recovery journey—and we’re here to help. Call Recovering Champions today to schedule your intake appointment!
