ACE Inhibitor
ACE Inhibitor
ACE inhibitors or Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme inhibitors are a class of medication used primarily for the treatment of hypertension and heart failure. They work by causing relaxation of blood vessels as well as a decrease in blood volume, which leads to lower blood pressure and decreased oxygen demand from the heart.
Pronunciation
ACE inhibitor: /ˈeɪsiː ɪnˈhɪbɪtər/
Etymology
The term "ACE inhibitor" is derived from the full name 'Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme inhibitor'. Angiotensin is a peptide hormone that causes vasoconstriction and an increase in blood pressure. ACE inhibitors inhibit (reduce the activity of) the angiotensin-converting enzyme, which is part of the renin–angiotensin system that regulates blood pressure.
Related Terms
- Angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARBs): Another class of drug used to treat hypertension.
- Renin inhibitor: A type of drug that directly inhibits renin, an enzyme that is upstream from ACE in the blood pressure regulation pathway.
- Calcium channel blocker: A type of drug that disrupts the movement of calcium through calcium channels, which can be used to decrease hypertension.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on ACE Inhibitor
- Wikipedia's article - ACE Inhibitor
This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.
Languages: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
Urdu,
বাংলা,
తెలుగు,
தமிழ்,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
русский,
português do Brasil,
Italian,
polski