ACE inhibitor-induced angioedema in elderly African American females requiring tracheostomy.

Angioedema is a well-demarcated localized edema involving the deeper layers of the skin, subcutaneous tissue, mucosa, and submucosa. It is a well-recognized side effect of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor therapy. Prolonged angioedema is rare. In most cases, the angioedema is self-limited and responds to cessation of ACE inhibitor therapy. ACE inhibitor-related angioedema occurs more commonly in African American patients and tends to be particularly severe in elderly African American women. We report 2 cases of extremely severe angioedema of prolonged duration that required tracheostomy to stabilize the airway.