Do angiotensin II receptor antagonists substitute angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors in the treatment of high blood pressure?
Gonzlez-Juanatey JR Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI) and angiotensin II receptor antagonists (AIIA) are both pharmacological groups that inhibit the actions of angiotensin II. ACEI prevent the formation of angiotensin II from angiotensin I, whereas A II A inhibit the final crucial step of angiotensin II binding with the AT1 receptor site. A similar antihypertensive efficacy has been described for both groups but A II A drugs have a better safety profile above all due to the absence of dry cough. Despite the fact that evidence with ACEI is more conclusive, A II A seems to achieve the same protective effects on the target organ damage in hypertensive patients. At present, ACEI are the drugs of choice in the treatment of patients with cardiac dysfunction and failure. The information of ongoing trials with A II A will be of great value in deciding the optimal treatment for hypertensive patients with different cardiovascular diseases.
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