What can be a potential side effect of ACE inhibitors?

ACE inhibitors, or Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme inhibitors, are commonly used medications for the treatment of hypertension and heart failure. One well-documented potential side effect of these drugs is a persistent cough. This side effect occurs in some patients due to the accumulation of bradykinin, which is a peptide that promotes inflammation and is inhibited by ACE. Since ACE inhibitors prevent the breakdown of bradykinin, its increased levels can lead to a chronic cough in susceptible individuals.

This side effect is significant enough that it can lead some patients to discontinue their use of ACE inhibitors, making it an important consideration when prescribing these medications. Understanding the role of bradykinin in the mechanism of ACE inhibitors can help explain why a persistent cough is a common adverse effect associated with this class of drugs. Other side effects, such as hypotension or hyperkalemia, are also important to monitor, but the persistent cough stands out as a distinctly recognizable consequence of ACE inhibitor therapy.