Endocrine News Examines The Controversy Surrounding Blood Pressure Drugs During The Coronavirus Pandemic

reports earlier in the pandemic, there were concerns that blood pressure drugs, including ACE inhibitors and ARBs, might increase the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection or worsen the severity of COVID-19, but “a group of professional associations and researchers moved quickly to counter this fear – and to recommend that” people with SARS-CoV-2 “continue taking renin-angiotensin system (RAS) blockers in the absence of a clear reason to stop them.” Endocrine News outlines the history of the issue citing reports and studies that have debunked fears that people should stop taking the common drugs during the pandemic. Dr. Stephen C. Textor of the Mayo Clinic, who served on the committee that wrote the Endocrine Society’s statement on hypertension, said, “This has been an active debate and an example of how little bits and pieces of basic science can lead you down paths that can really get you twisted around.” https://endocrinenews.endocrine.org/expert-opinion-covid-19-ras-blockers/