ACE Inhibitor

An ACE inhibitor (Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme inhibitor) is a class of medication used primarily for the treatment of hypertension (high blood pressure) and congestive heart failure. They work by inhibiting the activity of the enzyme angiotensin-converting enzyme, which is responsible for the conversion of angiotensin I to angiotensin II, a potent vasoconstrictor.

Mechanism of Action

ACE inhibitors block the conversion of angiotensin I to angiotensin II. Angiotensin II is a peptide hormone that causes blood vessels to constrict, resulting in increased blood pressure. By inhibiting this conversion, ACE inhibitors cause blood vessels to relax and dilate, which lowers blood pressure and decreases the workload on the heart.

Clinical Uses

ACE inhibitors are used in the management of several cardiovascular and renal conditions, including:

• Hypertension: By lowering blood pressure, ACE inhibitors reduce the risk of stroke, heart attack, and kidney problems.
• Heart failure: They help to improve symptoms and reduce mortality in patients with heart failure.
• Chronic kidney disease: Particularly in patients with diabetes, ACE inhibitors can slow the progression of kidney disease.
• Post-Myocardial infarction: They are used to improve survival after a heart attack.

Common ACE Inhibitors

Some commonly prescribed ACE inhibitors include:

• Enalapril
• Lisinopril
• Ramipril
• Captopril
• Benazepril

Side Effects

While ACE inhibitors are generally well-tolerated, they can cause side effects, including:

• Cough: A persistent dry cough is a common side effect.
• Hyperkalemia: Elevated potassium levels in the blood.
• Angioedema: Swelling of the deeper layers of the skin, often around the eyes and lips.
• Renal impairment: In some cases, ACE inhibitors can worsen kidney function.

Contraindications

ACE inhibitors should not be used in certain populations, such as:

• Pregnant Women: They can cause harm to the developing fetus.
• Patients with a history of angioedema related to previous ACE inhibitor use.

Also see

• Angiotensin II receptor blocker
• Hypertension
• Heart failure
• Chronic kidney disease

Cardiovascular disease A-Z

Most common cardiac diseases

• Cardiac arrhythmia‎
• Cardiogenetic disorders‎
• Cardiomegaly‎
• Cardiomyopathy‎
• Cardiopulmonary resuscitation‎
• Chronic rheumatic heart diseases‎
• Congenital heart defects‎
• Heart neoplasia‎
• Ischemic heart diseases‎
• Pericardial disorders
• Syndromes affecting the heart‎
• Valvular heart disease‎

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

A

• Accelerated idioventricular rhythm
• Acute decompensated heart failure
• Arteriosclerotic heart disease
• Athletic heart syndrome
• Atrial flutter
• Atrioventricular fistula
• Cardiovascular disease in Australia
• Autoimmune heart disease

B

• Brown atrophy of the heart

C

• Ebb Cade
• Cardiac allograft vasculopathy
• Cardiac amyloidosis
• Cardiac asthma
• Cardiac tamponade
• Cardiogenic shock
• Cardiogeriatrics
• Cardiorenal syndrome
• Cardiotoxicity
• Carditis
• Coronary artery aneurysm
• Coronary artery anomaly
• Coronary artery disease
• Spontaneous coronary artery dissection
• Coronary artery ectasia
• Coronary occlusion
• Coronary steal
• Coronary thrombosis
• Coronary vasospasm
• Cœur en sabot
• Coxsackievirus-induced cardiomyopathy

D

• Duke Treadmill Score
• Duroziez's disease

E

• Eisenmenger's syndrome
• Embryocardia
• Endocardial fibroelastosis
• Eosinophilic myocarditis

H

• Heart attack
• Heart failure
• Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction
• Heart to Heart (1949 film)
• High-output heart failure
• Hyperdynamic precordium

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

I

• Idiopathic giant-cell myocarditis
• Interventricular dyssynchrony
• Intraventricular dyssynchrony
• Isolated atrial amyloidosis

K

• Keshan disease

L

• Loeffler endocarditis

M

• Mydicar
• Myocardial bridge
• Myocardial disarray
• Myocardial rupture
• Myocardial scarring
• Myocardial stunning
• Myocarditis

N

• Nonbacterial thrombotic endocarditis

O

• OLR1
• Ostial disease

P

• Papillary fibroelastoma
• Pathophysiology of heart failure
• Postpericardiotomy syndrome
• Pulmonary vein stenosis

R

• Right axis deviation
• Roemheld syndrome

S

• Saturated fat and cardiovascular disease
• SCAR-Fc
• Shone's syndrome
• Strain pattern
• Subacute bacterial endocarditis
• Sudden cardiac death of athletes

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

T

• Traumatic cardiac arrest

V

• Ventricular aneurysm
• Vibroacoustic disease
• Viral cardiomyopathy

W

• Waon therapy