Lisinopril and anxiety and panic attacks
Pro Research Analysisby 
Searched over 200M research papers
Lisinopril and Its Impact on Anxiety and Panic Attacks
Introduction to Lisinopril and Anxiety
Lisinopril, an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor, is primarily used to manage hypertension. Recent studies have explored its potential effects beyond blood pressure regulation, particularly its impact on anxiety and panic attacks.
Lisinopril and Anxiety-Like Behavior in Hypertensive Rats
Research involving Dahl Salt-Sensitive (DSS) rats has shown that Lisinopril not only reduces blood pressure but also decreases anxiety-like behavior. In a study where DSS rats were treated with Lisinopril for three months, significant reductions in systolic blood pressure (SBP) and pulse wave velocity (PWV) were observed. Additionally, these rats exhibited increased exploration of the center of an open field, a behavior indicative of reduced anxiety . This suggests that Lisinopril may have a beneficial effect on anxiety-like behavior in hypertensive conditions.
Behavioral Alterations in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats
Another study focused on spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) found that Lisinopril could reverse certain behavioral alterations associated with hypertension. The SHR group treated with Lisinopril showed a normalization of SBP and a partial reversal of anxiety-like behavior. Specifically, Lisinopril reduced the time spent and the frequency of entries into the central area of an open field, which are measures of anxiety-like behavior . This indicates that Lisinopril may help mitigate anxiety symptoms in hypertensive individuals.
Conclusion
The evidence from these studies suggests that Lisinopril, while primarily used for hypertension, may also have positive effects on anxiety and panic attacks. By normalizing blood pressure and reducing anxiety-like behaviors in hypertensive rat models, Lisinopril shows promise as a dual-purpose treatment. Further research is needed to fully understand its impact on anxiety and panic attacks in humans.
Sources and full results
Most relevant research papers on this topic