Lisinopril for Heart Failure: Improving Survival and Reducing Hospitalizations

Abstract

Institutional Affiliation: Lisinopril in Treating Heart Failure Lisinopril is drug offered to patients who have experienced heart failure and works through angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor. Patients taking the drug are likely to have a prolonged life and fewer visits to the health facilities. The survival and hospitality rates of people with heart failure are affected by the capacity to regulate blood pressure (Helmer, Slater, & Smithgall, 2018). Therefore, lisinopril is offered to these patients to improve symptoms unless there are underlying conditions that would make them not take the drug. For instance, expectant mothers who have experienced heart failure should stop using lisinopril and visit healthcare providers once they know they are pregnant. The drug is offered to children over six years old and adult patients who have experienced heart failure to improve heart activity and lower the risk of high blood pressure. As an ACE inhibitor, lisinopril blocks the key enzyme in the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) that controls the blood pressure of patients. RAAS is a system of enzymes responsible for controlling the pumping of blood to meet the needs of key body organs. Renin is produced from the kidneys when the heart fails to pump enough blood to these organs (Ma et al., 2019). The role of renin is to increase the amount of angiotensin I in the blood which is converted by ACE to angiotensin II increasing the blood pressure. Since patients of heart failure often experience lack of sufficient blood flow in the kidneys, the production of renin increases causing a rise in the blood pressure. Lisinopril works by inhibiting ACE to lower the impact of increased renin production on the blood pressure and the functioning of the heart for the patients. Individuals with heart failure experience high activity...