Age-related effects of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors.

In spite of the fact that plasma renin activity declines with age and drugs whose action is mediated via the renin-angiotensin system might be expected to be less effective with increasing age, the limited available data suggest that both captopril and enalapril lower blood pressure in the elderly. The quantity and the quality of data to compare hypotensive effects in the young and elderly leave much to be desired. It might be predicted that adverse effects such as hypotension and exacerbation of preexisting renal failure could pose problems for the use of these drugs in the elderly, but documentation of this is also sparse. Clearly, this area of risk versus benefit of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors in the elderly requires further study.