COVID-19 and the use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and receptor blockers

Concerns exists that angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE inhibitors) and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) increase susceptibility to coronavirus SARS CoV-2 (the viral agent that causes the disease COVID-19) and the likelihood of severe COVID-19 illness. These concerns are based on considerations of biological plausibility, and the observation that there is an overrepresentation of patients with hypertension and other cardiovascular comorbidities among patients with COVID-19 who have poor outcomes.