title: [Usefulness of converting enzyme inhibitors in the diagnosis of arterial hypertension].
abstract: Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors are now widely used as first-line treatment of essential hypertension. Their effectiveness is potentiated by a low-salt diet and, above all, by the simultaneous prescription of diuretics. When secondary hypertension is suspected, ACE inhibitors are a good pharmacological tool to study the renin-angiotensin system. Since activation of this system is the main mechanism responsible for renovascular hypertension, ACE inhibitors are very useful for diagnosis. Conversely, blood pressure is not influenced by ACE inhibitors in primary hyperaldosteronism because of the low plasma renin and angiotensin II levels. Pheochromocytoma activates the renin-angiotensin system, and ACE inhibitors combined with beta-blockers enable the hypertension to be controlled prior to surgical treatment of the tumour. Finally, ACE inhibitors can be used to explore the renin-angiotensin system in the experimental model of renovascular hypertension and therefore contribute to our knowledge of the complex pathophysiology of this most frequent type of secondary hypertension.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de pathologie vasculaire et endocrinologie rénale, INSERM U36, Paris.
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Arnal
mesh_terms: D000310:Adrenal Gland Neoplasms / Q000150:complications; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D006978:Hypertension, Renovascular / Q000175:diagnosis*; D010673:Pheochromocytoma / Q000150:complications
chemical_list: D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors
vernacular_title: Utilité des inhibiteurs de l'enzyme de conversion dans le diagnostic de l'hypertension artérielle.