Serum zinc is unaffected by effective captopril treatment of hypertension

Captopril, a sulfhydryl compound that lowers blood pressure by inhibiting the zinc metalloenzyme, angiotensin converting enzyme, may occasionally result in ageusia, a symptom also associated with zinc deficiency. We therefore studied serum zinc and copper concentrations in a group of 14 essential hypertensive subjects before treatment and after 5-6 months of antihypertensive oral monotherapy with either captopril (50 mg, twice daily; n = 7) or other drugs (propranolol or alphamethyldopa; n = 7). Serum zinc and copper were unaltered by either regimen. Thus, zinc depletion is an unlikely consequence of long-term exposure to captopril, at least in the dosages commonly used for treatment of hypertension.