ACE inhibitor is an abbreviation. This is translated as Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibitors, meaning medications used for various purposes including controlling elevated blood pressure, treatment of heart failure, preventing strokes, and preventing kidney damage.

Medications of this type are widely used in people who have elevated blood pressure or diabetes. Sometimes these medicines are used after heart attack to improve survival after heart attacks. As for action of ACE inhibitors, these medications decrease or inhibit the activity of the enzyme ACE, which make blood vessels enlarge or dilate, and asa result reduce blood pressure.

Because of excellent results for increasing probability of pulling through heart attacks, ACE inhibitors are the medicines of major importance for individuals with hypertension and diabetes. For those individuals with hypertension who do not respond strong enough to just one ACE inhibitor, two or more of them are prescribed. The exact dosing instructions for combining ACE inhibitors are prescribed by your personal doctor.

The most popular inhibitors available are: Lotensin, Capoten, Vasotec, Monopril, Prinivil, Zestril, Univasc, Aceon, Accupril, Altace, Mavik and others. Their action is nearly the same; the only difference is in the doses and in the excretion of them by human body. Hence, the side effects of all the ACE inhibitors are the same They include cough, abnormally high blood potassium levels, severe low blood pressure (in case of overdosing), dizziness and drowsiness with or without headache, uncommon tiredness or weakness, strange metallic or salty taste in the mouth disregarding the food you eat. In some cases you may develop allergic rash, but it is uncommon.

ACE inhibitors are taken disregarding to meals. It is essential to take them strictly as prescribed and at the same time every day. If one of the ACE inhibitors has been prescribed to you, never stop taking it abruptly and without consulting your doctor. Maybe your dose has to be decreased gradually.

Generally, ACE inhibitors are well tolerated and do not make people suffer from any of side effects. However, there are restrictions in using ACE inhibitors. If you are pregnant or think that you may become pregnant it is prohibited to take any of ACE inhibitors, because they have been shown to make harm to fetus. Also it is not recommended to take ACE inhibitors is you are breast-feeding a baby. Also do not use them if you take dofetilide.

It is very important to have serious and cautious attitude to medicines you take. If you suspect that you accidentally overdose, immediately call your local poison control center and emergency care; for US citizens the US national poison hotline is 1-800-222-1222.

Generic ACE inhibitors are effective and safe medication used all over the world to treat high blood pressure. A simple rule for patients with high blood pressure and those taking ACE inhibitors is to check their blood pressure regularly while treatment. Ask your doctor about the ways of monitoring your blood pressure. Be healthy!