How do ACE inhibitors work?

ACE inhibitors help blood pressure go down by stopping a special protein from doing its job.

Imagine your blood is like water flowing through a hose. If the hose gets too narrow, the water has to push harder to get through, that’s like high blood pressure. ACE inhibitors are like a lawn sprinkler that stops the hose from getting narrower.

Your body makes something called angiotensin, which is like a tiny helper that tightens the walls of your blood vessels, making them narrow. That’s why your blood has to push harder, it's like trying to squish water through a squeezed hose.

ACE inhibitors stop angiotensin from being made. Without enough angiotensin, the blood vessel walls stay relaxed and open, like a wide-open hose, letting water flow easily. This means less pressure in your blood, and that helps your heart work more gently.

It’s like taking away the person who keeps squeezing the hose, suddenly, everything gets easier!