ACE inhibitors after bypass surgery
Drugs known as angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors can make all the difference in the world to length and quality of life for some people with heart disease and high blood pressure, one of the risk factors for heart disease. ACE inhibitors work by blocking hormones that regulate blood vessel constriction. This can reduce damage to the heart and kidneys in many ways—for example, by slowing deterioration of the heart muscle that occurs over time following a heart attack or deterioration of the kidneys in people with diabetes and kidney disease. The first ACE inhibitor, captopril (Capoten), was approved by the FDA in 1981 to lower blood pressure. Nine more are available today (see box).
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