ED 01-1 ARE ARBS COMPARABLE TO ACEIS IN PATIENTS WITH MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION?

With several lines of evidence, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors are recommended in patients with left ventricular systolic dysfunction or heart failure after myocardial infarction, and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) are indicated in patients who are intolerant of ACE inhibitors. Up to 20% of patients cannot tolerate ACE inhibitors due to adverse reactions such as cough or angioedema, ARBs could be an alternative to ACE inhibitors. However, there is lack of data whether ARBs are comparable to ACE inhibitors in patients with myocardial infarction. Here I review the role of ACE inhibitors and ARBs in patients with myocardial infarction, and would like to introduce the data from the Korean Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry (KAMIR) that found ARBs are comparable with ACE inhibitors in patients with ST segment elevation myocardial infarction with preserved left ventricular systolic function.