Angiotensin what does it do

The best one for you depends on many things, including your overall health and existing conditions. For example, people with chronic kidney disease may benefit from having an ACE inhibitor as one of their medications.

ACE inhibitors are used to prevent, treat or improve symptoms in conditions such as:. Sometimes, another blood pressure medication — such as a diuretic or calcium channel blocker — is prescribed with an ACE inhibitor. ACE inhibitors shouldn't be taken with an angiotensin receptor blocker or with a direct renin inhibitor. Rarely, ACE inhibitors can cause some areas of the tissues to swell angioedema.

If swelling occurs in the throat, it can be life-threatening. Taking ACE inhibitors during pregnancy increases the risk of birth defects in the baby. If you're pregnant or plan to become pregnant, talk to your doctor about other options to treat high blood pressure. There is a problem with information submitted for this request.

Sign up for free, and stay up-to-date on research advancements, health tips and current health topics, like COVID, plus expert advice on managing your health. Error Email field is required. Error Include a valid email address. To provide you with the most relevant and helpful information and to understand which information is beneficial, we may combine your e-mail and website usage information with other information we have about you.

If we combine this information with your PHI, we will treat all of that information as PHI, and will only use or disclose that information as set forth in our notice of privacy practices. You may opt-out of e-mail communications at any time by clicking on the Unsubscribe link in the e-mail. Our Housecall e-newsletter will keep you up-to-date on the latest health information.

Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. Any use of this site constitutes your agreement to the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy linked below. Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit organization and proceeds from Web advertising help support our mission. Mayo Clinic does not endorse any of the third party products and services advertised. A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only.

This content does not have an English version. This content does not have an Arabic version. See more conditions. Angiotensin-converting enzyme ACE inhibitors. Products and services. Angiotensin-converting enzyme ACE inhibitors These drugs are commonly prescribed to treat high blood pressure, heart problems and more.

By Mayo Clinic Staff. Thank you for Subscribing Our Housecall e-newsletter will keep you up-to-date on the latest health information.

Please try again. Something went wrong on our side, please try again. Show references Mann JFE. Choice of drug therapy in primary essential hypertension. Accessed June 25, Types of blood pressure medications. American Heart Association. The different forms of angiotensin are denoted by Roman numerals, angiotensin I—IV.

The hormones and the way they are activated are often referred to together as the renin—angiotensin system. This form of the hormone is not known to have any particular biological function in itself but, is an important precursor for angiotensin II. As it passes in the bloodstream through the lungs and kidneys , it is further metabolised to produce angiotensin II by the action of angiotensin-converting enzyme. The overall effect of angiotensin II is to increase blood pressure, body water and sodium content.

Angiotensin II has effects on:. An increase in renin production occurs if there is a decrease in sodium levels and a decrease in blood pressure, which is sensed by the kidneys.

In addition, low blood pressure can stimulate the sympathetic nervous system to increase renin production, which results in increased conversion of angiotensinogen to angiotensin I, and so the cycle continues.

On the other hand, natriuretic peptides produced in the heart and central nervous system can impede the renin—angiotensin system in order to increase sodium loss in the urine. Too much angiotensin II is a common problem resulting in excess fluid being retained by the body and, ultimately, raised blood pressure.

This often occurs in heart failure where angiotensin is also thought to contribute to growth in the size of the heart. Le et al. Gurley and T. Oudit, Z. Kassiri, M. Patel et al. Crackower, R. Sarao, G. Oudit et al. Yamazato, Y. Yamazato, C. Sun, C. Diez-Freire, and M. Feng, H. Xia, Y. Cai et al. Feng, X. Yue, H. Xia et al. Diz, M. Garcia-Espinosa, S. Gegick et al. Pieruzzi, Z. Abassi, and H. View at: Google Scholar M. Ruzicka, F. Keeley, and F. Hirsch, C. Talsness, H. Schunkert, M.

Paul, and V. Hokimoto, H. Yasue, K. Fujimoto et al. Sadoshima, Y. Xu, H. Slayter, and S. Kakishita, K.

Nakamura, M. Asanuma et al. S67—S70, View at: Google Scholar K. Weber, Y. Sun, and E. Pfeffer, E. Braunwald, L. Moye et al. View at: Google Scholar P. Garabelli, J. Modrall, J. Penninger, C. Ferrario, and M. Stewart Jr. Lazartigues, and P. Kassiri, J. Zhong, D. Guo et al. Bodiga, J. Zhong, W. Wang et al. Yamamoto, M. Ohishi, T. Katsuya et al. Nakamura, N. Koibuchi, H. Nishimatsu et al. Doan, N. Gletsu, J. Cole, and K. Li, J.

Zimpelmann, K. Cheng, J. Wilkins, and K. F—F, Oudit, A. Herzenberg, Z. Kassiri et al. Guo, C. Chen et al. Soler, J. Wysocki, M. Ye, J. Lloveras, Y. Kanwar, and D. Wong, G. Oudit, H. Reich et al. Lely, I. Hamming, H. Kiely, R. Cargill, N.

Wheeldon, W. Coutie, and B. Imai, K. Kuba, S. Rao et al. Li, M. Moore, N. Vasllieva et al. Kuba, Y. Imai, S. Lovren, Y. Pan, A. Quan et al. Dong, C. Feng et al. Correa De Adjounian et al. Rentzsch, M. Todiras, R. Iliescu et al. Ye, E. Rodriguez et al. Oudit, G. Liu, J. Zhong et al. Liu, Q. Hu, Y. Goulter, M. Avella, K. Botham, and J. Studer, H. Reinecke, B. Muller, J.

Holtz, H.