ACE inhibitors

With high blood pressure is in the medical treatment and therapy mainly on ACE inhibitors set. The abbreviation ACE stands for Angiotensin-Converting-Enzyme, angiotensin-converting enzyme in German. ACE inhibitors act as drugs to regulate the water-electrolyte balance and to maintain and stabilize blood pressure.

What are ACE inhibitors?

ACE inhibitors are a class of antihypertensive drugs. The mechanism of action consists in an intervention in the endocrine system. The abbreviation “ACE” stands for “Angiotensin Converting Enzyme” or in German: Angiotensin Converting Enzyme.

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This is an enzyme that, like each of these proteins, causes a specific material conversion in the organism. By inhibiting an enzyme, a chain reaction in the living body can be interrupted. This enables physiological processes to be influenced in a targeted manner. ACE converts the precursor (prohormone) of the hormone angiotensin into its active form. This activated messenger substance causes the vessels to contract and thus increase blood pressure.

If the activation is prevented, this leads to a drop in blood pressure. ACE inhibitors block the ACE that causes this activation. As a result, the blood pressure is lowered by reducing the angiotensin level through the ACE inhibitor.

Application, effect & use

ACE inhibitors achieve a relief of the cardiovascular system by lowering the blood pressure. So this bend Antihypertensive drugs serious diseases of the blood vessels and the heart. The area of ​​application is therefore essential hypertension, a form of chronic high blood pressure with an unknown cause.

The aim of the medication is to avoid strokes and heart attacks. However, even after such acute illnesses have been overcome, ACE inhibitors are used to prevent relapse. Even in the course of an acute myocardial inflammation, medication with ACE inhibitors is often used so that the hollow muscle experiences effective relief. Another indication is mild to moderate heart failure (cardiac insufficiency).

The chronic illness requires constant administration of antihypertensive drugs, mostly from the group of ACE inhibitors.Another area of ​​application is the prevention of kidney damage in diabetics. In this group of patients, high blood pressure often leads to scarring in the microfine structures of the excretory organ.

Doctors often combine ACE inhibitors with other antihypertensive drugs. Diuretics and drugs that work via the calcium metabolism of the blood vessel walls have proven effective. A positive side effect of ACE inhibitors is that they promote cell regeneration in the blood vessels. The inhibition of arteriosclerosis is probably based on this. In the context of coronary heart disease, this effect has proven to be therapeutically very beneficial and is an argument for the use of ACE inhibitors.

Herbal, Natural & Pharmaceutical ACE Inhibitors

ACE inhibitors the first hour was a snake venom. First, a substance was isolated from the poison of the South American lance viper, on which the enzyme inhibition was proven experimentally.

As a result, synthetic analogues were developed that were ultimately suitable for medication. Today there are over 10 different synthetic substances that are contained in the preparations available on the market. Most of the active ingredients are precursors to the actual drug. The reason for this is that the pharmaceuticals are absorbed more efficiently in this form. Only in the metabolism does the active component split off.

This effective ingredient is only a residue of the original snake venom. The pharmaceutical usability results from the connection with different carrier substances. Depending on the preparation, it is, for example, succinic acid or glutaric acid, which in a modified form ensures the chemical stability of the active substance.

Since ACE inhibitors are often administered together with other antihypertensive agents anyway, there are many combination products with ACE inhibitors on the market.

Risks & side effects

ACE inhibitors have side effects that are mainly attributed to an effect. The angiotensin converting enzyme has a second function in the metabolism: It breaks down the tissue hormone bradykinin. Under the influence of an ACE inhibitor, the bradykinin level rises and, in complex secondary reactions, produces some undesirable symptoms.

Patients often complain of strong throat irritation and skin rashes while taking ACE inhibitors. This "exanthema" almost always takes on large dimensions. The potassium level may be increased while the sodium concentration is decreased. Renal dysfunction that can develop into acute kidney failure is rare. Occasionally, water retention in the subcutaneous tissue (edema) and asthmatic incidents can be observed.

In addition, there may be a reduction in thrombocytes (blood platelets, cells with blood clotting function), at the same time the leukocytes (white blood cells) are reduced. The erythrocytes (red blood cells) can be broken down to a greater extent, which can lead to anemia ("anemia"). In addition, cases of impaired liver function have also been described. The dreaded anaphylactic shock rarely occurs as a result of medication with an ACE inhibitor.