MONDAY, Aug. 9, 2004 (HealthDayNews) -- Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors may cause lip and tongue swelling in some people, resulting in trouble swallowing, shortness of breath, coughing and even respiratory failure.
That's the finding of a U.S. study in the August issue of Chest on ACE inhibitors, which are commonly used to manage high blood pressure.
Researchers reviewed the charts of 70 people who experienced lip and tongue swelling, called angioedema (AE), over five years. Forty-five of the cases (64 percent) were attributed to ACE inhibitor use. The other cases were caused by food allergies, antibiotics, infection or unknown reasons.
Among the patients with AE caused by ACE inhibitor use, 47 percent developed it within two months of initial treatment with ACE inhibitors, while 24 percent showed signs after long-term treatment (six months to five years) with ACE inhibitors.
The study authors speculate that AE may become more common, due to increasing use of ACE inhibitors. They recommend that doctors not prescribe ACE inhibitors to people with a history of AE.
More information
The U.S. National Library of Health has more about angioedema.
