title: Choosing a first-line drug in the management of elevated blood pressure: what is the evidence? 3: Angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitors.
abstract: Elevated blood pressure is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular illness and death. Efforts to reduce that risk have led to recommendations for a wide array of nondrug and drug therapies. Choosing the optimal first-line drug for hypertensive patients should address a hierarchy of treatment goals: decrease in morbidity and mortality associated with hypertension, decrease in blood pressure and other surrogate markers, good tolerance, dosing convenience and low cost. This article examines the evidence for angiotensin-converting-enzyme (ACE) inhibitors as a class of first-line antihypertensive drugs in light of these treatment goals. Overall, the evidence does not support the use of ACE inhibitors as first-line drugs in the management of most patients with hypertension, although they have proven benefit as second-line drugs for the treatment of congestive heart failure and left ventricular dysfunction secondary to myocardial infarction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver. jmwright@interchange.ubc.ca
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Wright
mesh_terms: D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000191:economics / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002755:Choice Behavior; D016527:Drug Costs; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D009017:Morbidity; D018579:Patient Selection; D012107:Research Design; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors