Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors. Properties and side effects.

The purpose of this brief review is to separate the characteristic properties and side effects attributable to the pharmacology of the whole class of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors from those attributable to the chemical structure and kinetics of each particular ACE inhibitor. The former would be predictable and probably similar for all agents and, therefore, would be expected to recur with each agent, whereas the latter are likely to be characteristic of individual compounds and may be avoidable by changing to another compound with similar pharmacology but different molecular structure.