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Drugs in this class include:
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- Enalapril
- Lisinopril
- Captopril
- Accupril
- Quinapril
- Benazopril
- Fosinopril
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The angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors are so named because they work by blocking the conversion of angiotensin I to angiotensin II in the lung. Angiotensin II is a potent hormone that constricts arterioles and raises blood pressure. Thus, ACE inhibitors act to lower the blood pressure. Aside from being used as antihypertensive drugs, ACE inhibitors are particularly well suited for patients with congestive heart failure by lowering the net resistance in the vascular bed, thereby facilitating the heart’s task of pumping blood. ACE inhibitors have actually been found to prolong the lifespan of patients with congestive heart failure. ACE inhibitors also have effects on blood vessels that seem to counteract the process of atherosclerosis and have been shown to reduce heart attack, stroke, and mortality in patients with coronary artery disease.
Some ACE inhibitors may cause the annoying side effect of a dry, hacking cough. Some patients, particularly elderly patients with kidney disease, cannot tolerate ACE inhibitors because of their effects on blood potassium levels and effects on the kidneys.
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