Can Enalapril cause psychosis with auditory hallucinations?

Question

Hello doctor,

I am taking Enalapril 10 mg and developed psychosis with auditory hallucinations.

Could it be due to my medication?

It is listed as a rare side effect and the symptoms are worse when I take the medication and lessen when I stop taking it.

Please help.

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

As you said, ACE (angiotensin-converting enzyme) inhibitors usually will not produce any hallucination or psychosis but some rare reports of hallucinations are available, which were mainly visual hallucinations, not auditory, but psychosis is unlikely. Anyway, you change Enalapril to some other antihypertensive tablets like calcium channel blockers or beta blockers and see the change. Consult a specialist doctor, discuss with them, and take medications with their consent.

If it is not improving with the above medicine change, you have to evaluate further by getting a thyroid function test (hypo or hyperthyroidism), hemoglobin (Vitamin B12 deficiency anemia or iron deficiency) and calcium level with serum phosphorus (hyperparathyroidism- high calcium and parathyroid hormone). If the above tests are normal, get an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) of the brain and rule out any organic causes. If everything comes as normal, consult a neurologist or psychiatrist.

I hope this is clear, and if you have any questions, do not hesitate to ask.

Do follow up whenever needed.

Let me know if I can assist you further.

Thank you.

Answer 2

Hi,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

Yes, if you feel more problems after taking Enalapril, change it to some other antihypertensive, which I have already mentioned, and see the change. Enalapril can cause hallucinations. So change it.

I hope this is clear, and if you have any questions, do not hesitate to ask.

Do follow up whenever needed.

Let me know if I can assist you further.

Thank you.