[Cough during treatment with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors is gender related]

In a Norwegian, double-blind, double-dummy multicenter study, 828 patients with mild to moderate hypertension were randomized to treatment by either lisinopril or nifedipine. One of the aims of the study was to specifically investigate the frequency of side effects. Spontaneously reported coughing reached 8.5% for lisinopril, as against 3.1% for nifedipine. In two patients coughing led to withdrawal from the study, and in another three it contributed partially to discontinuation of the treatment. A significant sex difference was found for spontaneously reported coughing among patients on lisinopril; 12.6% of the women and 4.4% of the men. A similar difference between the sexes was found for specific questioning about coughing. Use of a visual analogue scale by both patient and spouse revealed similar frequency of coughing as when reported spontaneously. The reason for sex being an important determinant for lisinopril-induced coughing remains obscure.