Any medication is virtually completely eliminated from the body in 5 half lives.  Lisinopril has
a half life of 12 hours, so 60 hours and it will *all* be gone from the mother's blood.  Probably
she doesn't have to wait if she doesn't take any more.  Even then, the amount that gets into the
milk is very little.  It is just not a good choice for a nursing mother.

There are billions of antihypertensives which can be used.  Two good ones are propranalol
and nifedipine.  Captopril is in the same family as lisinopril, but has shorter half life, higher
protein binding, and is used in children.  Benazepril, another ace inhibitor, has high protein
binding, poor oral availability, but longer half life.  Probably okay.  If the replacement doctor
really put it like that, s/he is really a creep.

Jack Newman, MD, FRCPC