Hypogeusia is a reported side effect of
captopril. Linkage of
hypogeusia to
zinc deficiency has been suggested. We objectively assessed taste acuity using Henkin's three-drop stimulus technique and measured plasma
zinc (PZn) level and urinary
zinc excretion in 31 hypertensive patients. Of these, 11 were long-term, high-dose
captopril recipients (more than 6 months, 266 +/- 34 mg/day), six were short-term
captopril recipients (less than 6 months, 104 +/- 40 mg/daily dose), and the remaining 14 served as noncaptopril controls. Compared to controls, the long-term
captopril group had significantly higher taste detection and recognition thresholds, lower PZn (91 +/- 3 vs. 100 +/- 3 micrograms/dl, P less than 0.05) and higher urinary
zinc excretion (1017 +/- 89 vs. 609 +/- 76 micrograms/day, P less than 0.005). The short-term
captopril group did not differ significantly from the noncaptopril group except for higher taste-recognition thresholds for NaCl and
sucrose (P less than 0.05). Discontinuing
captopril improved taste acuity and almost normalized
zinc parameters in two patients on long-term
captopril. These results suggest that abnormalities of taste are commonly associated with
captopril therapy and may be related to changes in
zinc metabolism. This is especially true in patients on long-term, high-dose
captopril therapy.