Q: Is there any data on the incidence of death in patients with HTN on ACE/ARB versus those not on ACE/ARB? That is, is the cause of increased mortality in HTN patients due not to the disease but the medications we are usin

Answer:

Is there any data on the incidence of death in patients with HTN on ACE/ARB versus those not on ACE/ARB? That is, is the cause of increased mortality in HTN patients due not to the disease but the medications we are using to treat the HTN?

Q: Should ACE/ARBs be discontinued and switched to something else in patients with only HTN?

Answer:

Theoretically, COVID-19 invades the cells through ACE2, and some ACEI / ARB up-regulate ACE2, which may be beneficial to virus replication. Therefore, the consensus of cardiovascular experts in Hubei Province suggests that ACEI / ARB should be replaced with other antihypertensive drugs(CCB) in the early stage of COVID-19.

Q: Please discuss if you saw a positive or negative effect of ACE inhibitor or ARB therapy.

Answer:

This is a controversial topic. I was infected with COVID-19 in January 2020. To study this problem, I took 4 mg perindopril 5 days after the onset of the disease.  A few hours later, I continued to have high fever and a severe cough. Theoretically, COVID-19 invades the cells through ACE2, and some ACEI / ARB up-regulate ACE2, which may be beneficial to virus replication. Therefore, the consensus of cardiovascular experts in Hubei Province suggests that ACEI / ARB should be replaced with other antihypertensive drugs in the early stage of COVID-19.