Related Experiment Videos
Cough with angiotensin converting-enzyme inhibitors
The New Zealand Medical Journal
|January 28, 1987
Summary
A persistent cough is a common side effect of angiotensin-converting-enzyme (ACE) inhibitor medications. This study found that discontinuing ACE inhibitors resolved the cough in patients with hypertension.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Pharmacology
- Pulmonology
Background:
- Isolated case reports suggest a link between cough and angiotensin-converting-enzyme (ACE) inhibitor use.
- Hypertension management often involves ACE inhibitors, a widely prescribed drug class.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prevalence of cough in patients treated with ACE inhibitors.
- To determine if cough is directly related to ACE inhibitor therapy.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of case notes for 126 patients at a hypertension outpatient clinic.
- Comparison of cough incidence between patients on ACE inhibitors and those on other antihypertensive medications.
- Observation of symptom changes upon ACE inhibitor substitution or withdrawal.
Main Results:
- Of 89 patients on ACE inhibitors, 12 (13.5%) reported cough.
- No cough was reported by 37 patients on non-ACE inhibitor medications.
- Cough persisted with ACE inhibitor switching but resolved upon discontinuation in two patients, with one requiring treatment cessation due to severity.
Conclusions:
- Cough is a notable and not uncommon adverse effect associated with ACE inhibitor treatment.
- The findings support a causal relationship between ACE inhibitors and cough.
- Clinicians should consider ACE inhibitor-induced cough in patients presenting with this symptom.