2 ACE inhibitors associated with higher mortality risks

Two commonly used ACE inhibitors for congestive heart failure — enalapril (Vasotec) and captopril (Capoten) — were associated with 10%–15% higher mortality than ramipril (Altace) among older patients. This study reviewed large population-based administrative databases of hospital discharge and prescription claims for more than 43,000 patients from three Canadian provinces who filled their first prescriptions for an ACE inhibitor.

The authors conclude that: “…our results suggest that physicians choosing an ACE inhibitor for patients with congestive heart failure should consider the possible 10%-15% increase in mortality that we observed with enalapril and captopril use compared with ramipril use.”