How should I handle a dry cough from an ACE inhibitor?

[Amelia.G]

I’ve been on the same blood pressure medication for years, but lately I’ve been getting this annoying dry cough that just won’t go away. My doctor mentioned it could be a side effect of the ACE inhibitor I’m taking, and I’m wondering if anyone else has experienced this and what they discussed with their doctor as a possible next step.

[Larry_L]

I had something similar after years on the same med. The dry cough started gradually and just stuck around. My doctor said it could be the drug, and we eventually switched me to a different class. Cough faded over a few weeks.

[Dennis_P]

For me, the cough was worse at night and felt like a constant scratch in my throat. It started after years on an ACE inhibitor, and we tried waiting it out for a couple of weeks, but it didn't help, so we talked about options.

[Brian_P]

Do you think it could be something else entirely, like seasonal allergies or reflux?

[Larry_L]

I finally asked about alternatives, and the doctor suggested trying an ARB instead. Took a couple of visits to adjust the BP numbers, but the cough was gone after we made the switch.

[Penelope.R]

I stayed on the med because the cough was intermittent at first and I worried about my blood pressure. I didn't do anything about it for a while.

[LukeC]

I kept a simple log of when the cough started and if anything made it better or worse. It helped me remember what to mention in the visit, but it didn't fix it on its own.