Do kinins have significance for the antihypertensive effect of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors?
Bönner, G.
Zeitschrift für Kardiologie 77(Suppl 3): 23-27
1988
ISSN/ISBN: 0300-5860 PMID: 3062958 Document Number: 308256
Inhibition of angiotensin I converting enzyme (ACE, kininase II) results in a reduced release of angiotensin II and in an accumulation of kinins. By pretreatment with inhibitors of the kallikrein-kinin systems, the blood pressure lowering effect of the ACE-inhibitors will be diminished. These results suggest that potentiation of kinins will participate in the blood pressure reduction by ACE-inhibitors. However, other studies contradict this hypothesis, showing that the inhibition of kallikrein-kinin systems per se will often result in a reduction of stimulated renin activity. Even the measurement of kinins in the blood cannot clarify the role of kinins in ACE-inhibition. Some new investigations discuss only a local and tissue-specific enhancement of kinins after ACE-inhibition, but up to now strong evidence for participation of kinins by local mechanisms in the action of ACE-inhibitors is still missing.