In the fourth of this series on drugs and therapeutics, Charlotte Nicholls and Mojgan Sani discuss the use of ACE inhibitors, used to treat hypertension and heart failure

The development of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors arose from the discovery of converting enzyme inhibitors in the venom of the South American pit viper (Bothrops jararaca). Through the study of these inhibitors, compounds were developed which bound to the site of ACE and inactivated the enzyme (Ondetti and Cushman 1982). These compounds led to the creation of a class of drugs known as ACE inhibitors, which are now used as effective anti-hypertensives and as part of therapy in heart failure.