ACE Inhibitor drug for hypertension, side effects by Ray Sahelian, M.D. Ace Inhibitor benefit for blood pressure

ACE inhibitor drugs belong to the class of medicines called high blood pressure medicines. ACE stands for angiotensin converting enzyme. By inhibiting this enzyme, an ACE  inhibitor drug is able to lower blood pressure. ACE inhibitors are commonly prescribed for high blood pressure and heart failure. They also prevent heart damage following a heart attack and reduce the risk of kidney problems in people with diabetes. See high blood pressure for natural ways to treat hypertension.

Natural ACE Inibitor
There are probably many plants and herbs that have compounds in them with ACE inhibitor activity. One such natural herb that has a substance with ACE inhibitor activity is ashitaba.

Atrial fibrillation benefit
Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, angiotensin II-receptor blockers (ARBs), and beta-blockers are all superior to calcium channel blockers in reducing the risk. Compared with calcium channel blockers, each of these agents reduces the risk of this common arrhythmia by around 25% Dr. Christoph R. Meier, from University Hospital Basel, Switzerland, looked into this issue using the UK's General Practice Research Database of 680,000 patients with hypertension. Their nested case-control analysis included patients between the ages of 20 and 79, and it excluded patients with risk factors for AF (history of any arrhythmia, congestive heart failure, ischemic and valvular heart disease, thyrotoxicosis, alcoholism, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). Ann Intern Med 2010;152: has the study done by Dr. Christoph R. Meier.

ACE Inhibitors and Heart Attack
Lisinopril, captopril, ramipril, and trandolapril are ace inhibitor drugs used in some patients after a heart attack. After a heart attack, some of the heart muscle is damaged and weakened. The heart muscle may continue to weaken as time goes by. This makes it more difficult for the heart to pump blood.

ACE inhibitors and CHF
ACE inhibitor drugs are used to treat congestive heart failure.

ACE inhibitors after Heart Surgery

Treatment with ACE inhibitors interferes with red blood cell formation and increases the risk of prolonged episodes of anemia after heart surgery. A study of 42 men with anemia after cardiac surgery was conducted at Istituto Maria Nascente Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi in Milan by Dr. Vittorino Ripamonti and colleagues. Approximately nine days after surgery, patients were randomized to enalapril maleate or not. All patients received ferrous sulfate 325 mg plus standard post-cardiac surgical therapy, including beta-blockers and antiplatelet drugs if coronary artery disease was the setting, or diuretics and anticoagulants if it was valvular disease. At 16 days, patients receiving enalapril had peak hemoglobin levels 1 g/dL lower and red blood cell counts 444 RBCs/mL lower than patients not receiving the ACE inhibitor. By 60 days after randomization, hemoglobin and RBC counts were moving toward normal in both groups, but remained lower in those on enalapril. "In the postoperative period, when a prompt erythropoietic response is crucial, the positive actions of (ACE inhibitors) may be counterbalanced by persistent anemia, thus leading to a slower functional recovery," Dr. Ripamonti and colleagues conclude. Chest 2006;130:79-84.

ACE Inhibitors and Kidney disease
Captopril is used to treat kidney problems in some diabetic patients who use insulin to control their diabetes. Over time, these kidney problems may get worse. Captopril may help slow down the further worsening of kidney problems.

ACE inhibitor and diabetes
The results with ace inhibitors and diabetes onset delay has provided mixed results. In one study, treatment with ACE inhibitors appeared to delay mortality in patients with diabetes who also have microalbuminuria (and pre-existing heart disease) or frank albuminuria. However, a 3 year study with the ace inhibitor ramipril did not show any benefit. For the time being, diet and exercise are better options for the delay of diabetic symptoms that the use of an ace inhibitor.

Ace Inhibitor and Aortic Aneurysm

Treatment with an ACE inhibitor is associated with a decreased risk of rupture in patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm.
 

Types of ACE Inhibitor Drugs
Benazepril - Lotensin - is an ace inhibitor used to treat high blood pressure.
Captopril - Capoten -
Cilazapril
Enalapril - Vasotec -
Fosinopril - Monopril -
Lisinopril - Prinivil or Zestril -
Moexipril - Univasc -
Perindopril
Quinapril - Accupril -
Ramipril - Altace - Contrary to previous research suggesting that the ace inhibitor ramipril may check the progression to diabetes in pre-diabetics, 3-year results of a multinational, prospective trial failed to show that this ace inhibitor is superior to placebo in reducing the incidence of diabetes or death in a cohort of patients with impaired fasting glucose levels or impaired glucose tolerance. N Engl J Med 2006.
Perindopril - Aceon -
Trandolapril - Mavik -
 

ACE inhibitor side effects, caution, safety and risks
Cough is a common ACE inhibitor side effect. The other most common side effects include headache, and dizziness. ACE inhibitors may sometimes cause elevated amounts of potassium in the blood. Your doctor can do blood tests to monitor your potassium levels. Rare side effects include skin rash, kidney problems, and swelling of the face, lips, and throat.

ACE inhibitor cough side effect
A dry, irritating, nonproductive cough is a common ACE inhibitors side effect, Up to 40 percent of  those prescribed ACE inhibitor drugs may have annoying cough symptoms. Cough has been attributed to an increase in bradykinin and/or other vasoactive peptides, such as Substance P, which may play a second messenger role in setting off the cough reflex. If a patient placed on an ACE inhibitor has chronic cough, it may be a good idea to stop the ACE inhibitor and try another medicine for the condition being treated.

ACE inhibitor side effect - angioedema
The risk of angioedema -- localized swelling in the deep layers of the skin that usually affects the face, throat, lips or tongue -- is much more likely with angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors than with other antihypertensive drugs.

ACE Inhibitors and Pregnancy
Ace inhibitors were previously thought to be safe when taken early in pregnancy but now appear to raise the risk of major birth defects. Babies whose mothers took ACE inhibitors in their first trimester were more than twice as likely to be born with serious heart and brain problems than those not exposed to any pressure-lowering medicines. Other types of blood pressure drugs did not raise the risk to babies. About 10 percent of pregnant women develop high blood pressure, which can lead to a heart attack or stroke. Exactly how many pregnant women take ACE inhibitors or another blood pressure medication is unclear. However, a national survey found the number of ACE inhibitor prescriptions given to women of childbearing age increased from 1.4 million in 1995 to 2.7 million in 2002. ACE inhibitors already carry a strong Food and Drug Administration “black box” warning about their dangers in the later stages of pregnancy, and the label says the drugs should be discontinued when pregnancy is detected. But little has been known about their early effects.

ACE inhibitor and impotence
There is still no agreement in the medical community as to whether ACE inhibitors lead to impotence.

Ace Inhibitor medication questions
Q. Can an ace inhibitor be taken with glucosamine sulfate or cat's claw? What about with fish oils and Krill-Oil supplements or a multivitamin pill?
   A. Not enough research has been done to determine the interaction between ace inhibitors and herbs and nutrients. However, Glucosamine is a safe supplement and can be used with most drugs. There is not as much information regarding Cats-Claw. One to three fish oil or krill oil supplements should not interfere with the function of ace inhibitors. In fact fish oils can lower blood pressure. A low dose multivitamin should be fine.