The impact of ACE inhibition on all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in contemporary hypertension trials: a review

Abstract

The renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system is a key therapeutic target in hypertension. The latest meta-analysis of mortality reduction with angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) in hypertension features 158,998 patients from 20 contemporary hypertension trials. ACE inhibitors and ARBs significantly reduced relative risk for all-cause mortality by 5% (p = 0.032) and cardiovascular mortality by 7% (p = 0.018) in populations with a high prevalence of hypertension (≥66%). ACE inhibitors produced a 10% reduction in relative risk for all-cause mortality (p = 0.004) and a trend toward a 12% reduction in cardiovascular mortality (p = 0.051), whereas ARBs had no effect. On balance, mortality evidence suggests that in hypertension, ACE inhibitors should be considered ahead of ARBs, and ARBs restricted to patients intolerant of ACE inhibitors.

Keywords::

• ACE inhibitor
• all-cause mortality
• angiotensin II
• ARB
• bradykinin
• cardiovascular mortality
• hypertension
• meta-analysis

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The authors received honoraria and research grants from Servier and others. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.