Vienna (OTS) – Current reports from China speculate about a potential connection between treatment with ACE inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers and infection with the coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). This has caused uncertainty in many patients with high blood pressure and heart failure, since ACE inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers are used very frequently and effectively in these diseases.
“Immunosuppressed patients, elderly multimorbid patients, patients with previous lung disease, but also diabetics and patients with chronic heart diseases are generally classified as high-risk patients and should therefore be particularly protected. As ÖKG, we recommend existing medication with ACE inhibitors and angiotensin receptor Blocking the medication or switching to other preparations is not indicated and should be avoided because of the risk of an acute heart attack or stroke, “emphasized Prim. Univ.-Prof. Dr. Peter Siostrzonek (Ordensklinikum Linz), President of the ÖKG (Austrian Cardiological Society), on Tuesday in accordance with statements from the European Society of Cardiology in a press release. *****
The postulated connection between a COVID-19 infection and the drugs mentioned is purely speculative and is derived from animal experiments, according to which SARS-CoV-2 is bound to the so-called ACE2 receptor in the lungs and, on the other hand, ACE2 under therapy with ACE Inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers is increasingly formed. Instead, other studies – also speculatively – provide opposite indications that the corresponding therapy could even weaken the course of a COVID-19 infection. However, conclusive scientific evidence for a connection in one direction or the other is by no means available, according to Prof. Siostrzonek. (Conclusion) me
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