What are Ace Inhibitors?

ACE inhibitors, or angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, are a class of medications that function primarily to regulate blood pressure and salt balance. These inhibitors work by interacting with the renin-angiotensin system in the body, specifically affecting the ACE1 and ACE2 enzymes. ACE1 and ACE2 serve crucial roles in managing blood pressure, with imbalances often associated with various diseases, including atherosclerosis, hypertension, heart failure, chronic kidney disease, inflammation, and lung injury.

The function of ACE2 has been particularly noted in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, where the SARS-CoV-2 virus attaches to the ACE2 receptor to infect cells. It's noteworthy that the internalization of the ACE2 receptor along with the virus upon cell entry can lead to a decrease in the number of functioning ACE2 receptors, exacerbating the severity of diseases such as acute respiratory distress syndrome. Interestingly, it has been hypothesized that since ACE inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) can increase ACE2 levels, they might reduce the risk of severe disease in susceptible populations 1 .