Captopril and Alopecia: A Case Report and Review of Known Cutaneous Reactions in Captopril Use

The document describes a case where a 68-year-old woman with congestive heart failure developed alopecia after her captopril dosage was increased. The patient, who had no prior history of allergic drug reactions or hair loss, also experienced a rash and itching, which resolved when the captopril dosage was reduced. However, severe hair loss became evident, and upon discontinuation of captopril, her hair began to regrow spontaneously within a month. This case implicates captopril in the development of alopecia, as the patient had previously tolerated another medication, furosemide, without such side effects. The document notes that while rashes, itching, and angioedema are known skin reactions to captopril, alopecia is less common. Other unrelated cases of skin reactions to different treatments are also briefly mentioned.