Patient was educated on Angiotensin and ACE inhibitors as follows:
- Angiotensin is a hormone that is produced in the human body. This hormone is initially produced in an inactive form and is converted to active form by the action of an enzyme, Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (ACE in short).
- Angiotensin has 2 main biological functions in the body through which it tends to increase the blood pressure.
- Angiotensin acts on blood vessels and brings about narrowing or constriction of blood vessels, which increases the blood pressure.
- Angiotensin also helps with secretion of another hormone, Aldosterone, from the adrenal gland. Aldosterone helps with increasing retention of sodium and water in the human body, which also contributes to increasing the blood pressure. Increased blood pressure leads to increased work load on the heart.
- ACE inhibitors are drugs that inhibit this enzyme, ACE.
- When ACE is inhibited, conversion of inactive form of Angiotensin to active Angiotensin will not occur.
- So, biological functions of Angiotensin are inhibited, contributing to reduced blood pressure.
