Abstract
Intravenous infusions of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) in experimental animals increase the numbers of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptors in the cardiopulmonary circulation. ACE2 receptors serve as binding sites for SARS-CoV-2 virions in the lungs. Patients who take ACEIs and ARBS may be at increased risk of severe disease outcomes due to SARS-CoV-2 infections.
MeSH terms
- Angiotensin Receptor Antagonists / adverse effects*
- Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2
- Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / adverse effects*
- Betacoronavirus
- COVID-19
- Coronavirus Infections / epidemiology*
- Humans
- Pandemics
- Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A
- Pneumonia, Viral / epidemiology*
- Risk Factors
- SARS-CoV-2
- Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus
Substances
- Angiotensin Receptor Antagonists
- Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors
- Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus
- spike protein, SARS-CoV-2
- Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A
- ACE2 protein, human
- Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2