Matt Laughlin took lisinopril to control his blood pressure, like millions of people. He had been on the same treatment for more than a year without any problems.
Until his face suddenly swelled up. So much so that he ended up in the emergency room with a face that no longer looked like his.
Doctors attribute it to angioedema. It looks like an allergic reaction, but it isn’t, which is why Benadryl and other antihistamines don’t help reduce the swelling.
Dr. Stefan Pienkowski explained that it is usually a mild reaction, but it can be potentially life-threatening if the swelling closes off the airway.
Fortunately, Matt needed only a couple of days without taking his medication to return to normal, but if his wife hadn’t taken him to the emergency room, the story would be different today.
