ACE inhibitors, or angiotensin (generic name) converting enzyme inhibitors, is a class of drugs that interact with blood enzymes to enlarge or dilate blood vessels and reduce blood pressure. These drugs are used to controlhigh blood pressure (hypertension), treat heart problems, kidney disease in people with diabetes high blood pressure. These drugs also improve the survival rate of people who have survived heart attacks and they prevent early death of people from heart attacks, high blood pressure, and heart failure. Sometimes ACE inhibitors are combined with other drugs for treating a condition.
Examples of ACE inhibitors includebenazepril (Lotensin),captopril (Capoten),enalapril (Vasotec), fosinopril (Monopril), andramipril (Altace). Examples of the most common side effects of this class of drugs are dizziness, headache, cough, rash, chest pain, and rash. There are serious side effects of this drug like kidney failure, severe allergic reactions, and liver dysfunction, or failure. ACE inhibitors all are similar in the way they work; however, they differ in how the body eliminates doses of the drug. Drug interactions, dosage, and pregnancy and safety information should be reviewed prior to taking this medication.
