Yes, several blood pressure medications, especially beta-blockers (like metoprolol, propranolol, atenolol) and some ACE inhibitors (like lisinopril, ramipril, captopril), can cause hair loss (telogen effluvium) in some individuals by disrupting the hair growth cycle, though it's a less common side effect. Diuretics can also be a factor, and it's crucial to talk to your doctor before stopping any medication, as they can suggest alternatives or solutions.
Signs of drug-induced alopecia
The effects of drug-induced alopecia often appear within 3 months of an individual starting on a particular medication. A person who experiences drug-induced alopecia may notice thinning hair. The hair loss may be more apparent on the top of the scalp.
Amlodipine is a calcium channel blocker used to treat high blood pressure, angina, and other cardiac issues. Some regulators have listed hair loss as a side effect of amlodipine, but this is extremely rare, affecting less than 1% of users.
Alopecia is listed as a side effect of unknown frequency or ＜1% in the Japanese package inserts for other statins, including atorvastatin, pitavastatin, simvastatin, pravastatin, and fluvastatin, although no such warning is listed for rosuvastatin.
Can Lisinopril Cause Hair Loss? Yes, it can, but it is very uncommon. Official drug safety information shows that hair loss happens in less than 0.1% of people who take lisinopril, which is considered a “rare” adverse effect.
Blood Pressure Medications That Do Not Cause Hair Loss
These include: Angiotensin II Receptor Blockers (ARBs): Drugs like losartan, valsartan, and candesartan belong to this class. ARBs are commonly used as an alternative to ACE inhibitors, and hair loss is not a common side effect.
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if these side effects bother you or do not go away:
Can Blood Pressure Pills Lead to Thinning Hair? Yes, certain blood pressure pills may contribute to temporary hair loss (effluvium) or thinning for some users.
If hair loss is a big worry for you, some statins are considered less likely to cause this issue. For example, pravastatin and rosuvastatin are often mentioned as having a lower risk of hair loss.
If people are taking medications that are causing hair loss, they can see their doctor about switching to an alternative. Once people stop taking the medication, they may start to see hair growing back within 6 months. In most cases, hair will grow back by itself once a person stops taking the medication.
Common side effects
Key Takeaways
Both amlodipine and lisinopril are first-choice medications for lowering blood pressure. Amlodipine is often a good choice for older adults and people with salt-sensitive high blood pressure. Lisinopril may be better for people with diabetes, kidney disease, or heart issues.
Options like prescription medications (finasteride, minoxidil), platelet-rich plasma (PRP), and low-level laser therapy may help dormant follicles re-enter the growth cycle. But here's the key: once follicles are dead, the only way to restore hair in that area is through transplantation.
Key vitamin deficiencies linked to hair loss include Vitamin D, B12, Biotin (B7), and Iron, with low levels of these nutrients affecting hair follicle function, protein production (like keratin), and oxygen supply, leading to thinning or shedding; however, excessive intake of some vitamins (like A or selenium) can also cause hair loss, so a doctor should confirm deficiencies via blood tests before supplementing.
The "Big 3" hair loss treatments, popular in forums, are Minoxidil, Finasteride, and Ketoconazole shampoo, often combined to tackle hereditary hair loss (androgenetic alopecia) by boosting growth, blocking hormones, and reducing inflammation. Minoxidil (Rogaine) widens blood vessels, Finasteride (Propecia) blocks DHT, and Ketoconazole fights scalp fungus and inflammation, with microneedling sometimes considered a fourth addition.
It can be the result of heredity, hormonal changes, medical conditions or a normal part of aging. Anyone can lose hair on their head, but it's more common in men. Baldness typically refers to excessive hair loss from your scalp. Hereditary hair loss with age is the most common cause of baldness.
Minoxidil works by relaxing blood vessels so that blood passes through them more easily. This helps to lower blood pressure. Minoxidil has other effects that could be bothersome for some patients. These include increased hair growth, weight gain, fast heartbeat, and chest pain.
Medications That Cause Hair Loss in Females
Although usually well tolerated, some persons may experience alopecia due to atorvastatin. Our patient's hair loss occurred within 6 weeks of her initial exposure to atorvastatin, abated when the drug was discontinued, and recurred within 2 weeks of a second exposure to the drug.
Minoxidil (Rogaine).
Products with minoxidil help many people regrow their hair or slow the rate of hair loss or both. It'll take at least six months of treatment to prevent further hair loss and to start hair regrowth. It may take a few more months to tell whether the treatment is working for you.
Some common side effects of high blood pressure medicines include:
Alpha-blockers and Alpha-2 agonists are not recommended as first-choice treatment for high blood pressure. Beta-blockers can worsen asthma symptoms and other lung conditions. Vasodilators and loop diuretics present a risk of serious side effects.
Beta blockers (BBs) are another class of blood pressure medications. They're potential alternatives to lisinopril and other ACE inhibitors. Common BBs include carvedilol (Coreg), metoprolol (Lopressor), and atenolol (Tenormin).
ACE inhibitors, such as captopril, enalapril, lisinopril, perindopril, and ramipril are designed to lower blood pressure, so if you take them while eating a lot of bananas you could inadvertently send your potassium levels through the roof which can lead to an irregular heart-beat.