*Welcome to the OutUK series looking at gay men and their health brought to you in association with the NHS* website.**
	Each week we'll tackle a different topic in our A to Z of Gay Health. We'll have features and advice on everything from relationships, sexual health, mental and physical conditions and how to stay fit. You can follow any of links provided below for more information direct from the NHS website, or see this week's feature L: Laxatives.

Side Effects Of Ramipril

NHS medicines information on side effects of ramipril and what you can do to cope.

Like all medicines, ramipril can cause side effects in some people, but many people have no side effects or only minor ones.

Side effects often improve as your body gets used to the medicine.

Common side effects

These common side effects of ramipril happen in more than 1 in 100 people. There are things you can do to help cope with them:

Speak to a doctor or pharmacist if the advice on how to cope does not help and a side effect is still bothering you or does not go away.

Serious side effects

It happens rarely, but some people have serious side effects after taking ramipril.

Call a doctor or call 111 straight away if:

the whites of your eyes turn yellow, or your skin turns yellow although this may be less obvious on brown or black skin - this can be a sign of liver problems
you're paler than usual, you feel tired, faint or dizzy, you have any sign of bleeding (like bleeding from the gums and bruising more easily than usual), a sore throat, a high temperature, or you get infections more easily - these can be signs of a blood or bone marrow disorder
you have severe stomach pain - this can be a sign of an inflamed pancreas (acute pancreatitis)
you have swollen ankles or blood in your pee or you're not peeing at all - these can be signs of kidney problems

Call 999 or go to A&E now if:

you have weakness on one side of your body, trouble speaking or thinking, loss of balance or blurred eyesight - these can be signs of a stroke
you have a faster heart rate, chest pain and tightness in your chest - these can be signs of heart problems
you have shortness of breath, wheezing and tightening of the chest - these can be signs of lung problems

Find your nearest A&E

Serious allergic reaction

In rare cases, ramipril may cause a serious allergic reaction (anaphylaxis).

Long term side effects

Taking ramipril for a long time can sometimes cause your kidneys to not work as well as they should. Your doctor will check how well your kidneys are working with regular blood tests.

Other side effects

These are not all the side effects of ramipril. For a full list, see the leaflet inside your medicine packet.

OutUK's A to Z of Gay Health continues and you can read this week's feature L: Laxatives. We have covered many subjects in this series and you can catch up with all of our Previous A to Z Features. If you want to find out more about this particular topic you can visit the Original article on the NHS website. If you are worried by any aspect of your health make sure you go and see your doctor or book an appointment at your local clinic.
Photos: LightFieldStudios and one of VladOrlov, Stockcube, darak77, ajr_images or rawpixel.com.