EDITORIAL Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors in patients with vascular disease

This editorial refers to ‘The consistency of the treatment effect of an ACE inhibitor-based treatment regimen in patients with vascular disease or high risk of vascular disease: a combined analysis of individual data of ADVANCE, EUROPA, and PROGRESS trials’, by J.J. Brugts et al. doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehp103 Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) have a beneficial effect on oxidative stress, endothelial function, vascular remodel-ling, and the progression of atherosclerosis in animal experiments independent of their effect on reducing blood pressure. ACEIs have also been shown to decrease cardiovascular mortality and morbidity in patients with vascular disease.1,2 While these results have been adopted into guidelines, there have been doubts as to whether or not these benefits were due to a reduction in blood pressure and therefore possibly any anti-hypertensive strateg