Drugs Affecting Renin-Angiotensin System

Abstract

This chapter presents a comprehensive account of the medicinal chemistry of drugs affecting the renin-angiotensin system (RAS). It provides the mechanism of drug action and details structure-activity relationships (SAR) of the drugs affecting RAS to give the knowledge base for pharmacists. After studying this chapter, students will be able to:

• Describe the historical background the RAS and drugs acting on this system.

• Explain RAS enzymes and hormones and their roles in blood pressure.

• Classify drugs acting on the RAS and their structures and binding.

• Discuss in detail the chemistry and SAR of the antagonists involved in RAS including angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs), angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) and renin inhibitors.

• Delineate the clinical significance and therapeutic evaluations of these classes of drugs by solving case studies.

• Explain the discovery process of ACEIs and ARBs.

Keywords: ACE, ACEIs, ARBs, Drug receptor interaction, Renin inhibitor, RAS, Structure-activity relationship.

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