ACE inhibitor

An ACE inhibitor is a medication that blocks angiotensin-converting enzyme, reducing production of angiotensin II. This relaxes blood vessels and can lower blood pressure and strain on the heart.

Renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system: A hormone system that regulates blood pressure, blood volume, and sodium balance. ACE inhibitors interrupt this system between angiotensin I and angiotensin II.
Hypertension: Persistently elevated pressure of blood against the walls of the arteries. Lowering vascular resistance makes ACE inhibitors a common treatment.
Angiotensin II receptor blocker: A medication that blocks angiotensin II from activating its receptors. ARBs suppress angiotensin signaling without inhibiting ACE or usually increasing bradykinin.
Lisinopril: An orally active ACE inhibitor used to treat hypertension and certain heart conditions. It is a widely used example of the drug class.
Snake venom: A complex mixture of biologically active substances produced by snakes. Venom peptides helped researchers identify natural inhibitors of angiotensin-converting enzyme.
Angiotensin-converting enzyme: An enzyme that converts angiotensin I to angiotensin II and breaks down bradykinin. ACE inhibitors act directly on this enzyme.
Heart failure: A condition in which the heart cannot pump or fill well enough to meet the body's needs. Reducing afterload and hormonal stress can improve outcomes in selected patients.
Direct renin inhibitor: A medication that inhibits renin, the enzyme that initiates the renin–angiotensin cascade. It acts earlier in the same hormonal pathway than ACE inhibitors.
Dry cough: A persistent cough without substantial mucus production. Bradykinin accumulation can cause this characteristic adverse effect.
Sergio Ferreira: A Brazilian pharmacologist whose research on bradykinin-potentiating peptides helped advance ACE inhibitor development. His work on pit viper venom supplied a key clue to enzyme inhibition.

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