ACE Inhibitor Is Suggested for Heart Disease

Patients with coronary disease should be considered for treatment with an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor, said researchers at the August 2003 annual meeting of the European Society of Cardiology. Coauthor of the study Kim Fox, MD, of the Royal Brompton Hospital in London, said that the results of the study showed the clear benefits of adding an ACE inhibitor to the current course of therapy.

A 4-year study involving >12,000 participants found that patients given the ACE inhibitor perindopril, in addition to standard treatment, had a 20% lower risk of cardiovascular death, heart attack, and cardiac arrest. Dr. Fox called the results a ?milestone in cardiology,? proving for the first time the lifesaving benefits of an ACE inhibitor in a wide range of patients.