The effect of hydrochlorothiazide on the enhanced coughing associated with treatment with enalapril.

The effect of hydrochlorothiazide, a diuretic which is used in the treatment not only of edema but also of hypertension, on coughs associated with treatment with enalapril was studied in guinea pigs. Chronic treatment with enalapril markedly and dose dependently enhanced the number of capsaicin-induced coughs. However, chronic treatment with hydrochlorothiazide significantly reduced the number of coughs associated with enalapril treatment, also in a dose-dependent manner. These results suggest that diuretics might be used to reduce the coughing associated with treatment with inhibitors of angiotensin-converting enzyme in patients with hypertension.