How Long Does Lisinopril Stay in Your System?

Dr. Langdon M.D.

Medically Reviewed By: Kimberly Langdon M.D.

on

If you’re taking lisinopril to treat high blood pressure, you’re not alone. Like most people who have been prescribed a medication, you are probably wondering how long it lasts in your body.

Lisinopril can cause side effects that may last longer than the intended effects of the medication.

Although lisinopril is not a commonly abused drug, it might show up on drug tests if there is a reason for a tester to look for it.

Keep reading to learn about lisinopril’s effects, how long it stays in your system, and whether it will show up on lab tests.

How Long Does Lisinopril Cause Effects?

Lisinopril is usually taken by mouth. Once it is ingested, it will start to work within a few hours to reduce your blood pressure. However, you might need to take the drug consistently for a week or more for it to work correctly.

Lisinopril might have the effect of lowering your blood pressure, but it can also have serious side effects, including brain effects like dizziness and fatigue.

The side effects of lisinopril may include:

  • Dizziness
  • Headache
  • Cough
  • Tiredness
  • Diarrhea
  • Nausea
  • Runny nose
  • Sneezing
  • Rash
  • Sexual impotence

These side effects can be serious and could last for a long time. If you have any side effects from lisinopril, consult your doctor.

How Long Does Lisinopril Stay in Lab Tests?

It is possible that you will be tested for lisinopril. One reason this might occur is if your doctor thinks you are being dishonest about whether you are following your lisinopril prescription. Another would be if you overdosed on the drug and doctors wanted to check to see what was in your system.

Drugs like lisinopril remain detectable by screening methods for varying lengths of time, based on a number of factors.

These include:

  • Duration of use: Those who have been using lisinopril for longer will find that it stays on lab tests for longer.
  • Dosage: If you are taking a smaller dose of lisinopril, it should clear out of your system faster.
  • Frequency of use: Those who use lisinopril more often will find that it shows up on lab tests for longer.
  • Whether you are using other drugs: If you have other prescriptions, or you drink or use drugs recreationally, it may affect how long lisinopril shows up on drug tests.
  • Your metabolism: Different people process all things, including drugs like lisinopril, at different rates. If you have a fast metabolism, lisinopril will move through your body more quickly.
  • Your health: Factors like your weight, age, and even genetics can all play a role in how long it takes to clear lisinopril from your body. In general, people who are healthier overall will move lisinopril through their system faster.

These factors are not the same for everyone. If you are wondering how long lisinopril stays in your body, there is no ‘one size fits all’ answer.

How Long Does Lisinopril Stay in Your Urine?

It is very unlikely that you will encounter a urine test for lisinopril. 

These tests are usually used by workplaces and in legal settings to look for common drugs of abuse like opioids, amphetamines, and benzos. Lisinopril has next to no abuse potential, and so it is rarely tested for by urine screenings.

That said, this test, which was developed specifically to make sure patients take their blood pressure medication, uses a urine sample to test for lisinopril. Drugs like lisinopril generally show up on urine tests for a few days to a week.

How Long Does Lisinopril Stay in Your Hair?

Similar to urine testing, it is not common for lisinopril to be looked for via hair samples. That said, many drugs can be detected by hair tests for 90 days or longer. 

How Long Does Lisinopril Stay in Your Blood?

Lisinopril has an average half-life in the blood of around 12 hours. What does this mean? It means that it takes around 12 hours from the time you take lisinopril for half of the drug to be out of your blood.

To calculate how long lisinopril stays in the blood, you should multiple its half-life 4 or 5 times. This means that the drug would show up on blood tests for 2-3 days after the last time taken.

How Long Does Lisinopril Stay in Your Saliva?

Saliva tests have the advantage of being non-invasive. This means that samples can be taken in public settings. For this reason, they are commonly used by police officers who have reason to believe that someone is under the influence.

Since lisinopril has no significant brain effects, it is uncommon for it to be checked for by saliva testing.

Can You Detox From Lisinopril Faster?

If, for some reason, you want to stop taking lisinopril, you should consult with your doctor. Never stop taking lisinopril if your doctor says you should keep taking it. If your doctor does instruct you to stop taking the drug, it is likely that you will switch to another medication for high blood pressure. 

There is nothing you can do to speed up the detox process from lisinopril. You must simply let your body move the drug out of your system at its own speed.

Get Help for Drug Abuse

If you are worried about whether your prescribed medications will show up on drug tests, you may have a larger problem. Although lisinopril is not a commonly abused drug, it is possible to abuse other substances while taking it.

Fortunately, those who suffer from substance use disorders do not have to do so alone. Treatment options exist that can help you get your life back on track. Call Bedrock Recovery Center today to find out how we can help you with your substance abuse issues.

  1. Drug Test Spurs Frank Talk Between Hypertension Patients And Doctors. (2018, April 16). https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2018/04/16/601077319/drug-test-spurs-frank-talk-between-hypertension-patients-and-doctors
  2. Lisinopril 10mg Tablet. (n.d.). https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/5809/smpc
  3. Lisinopril: MedlinePlus Drug Information. (n.d.). https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a692051.html

Written by Bedrock Recovery Center Editorial Team

© 2024 Bedrock Recovery Center | All Rights Reserved

* This page does not provide medical advice.

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