ACE inhibitor reduces cardiovascular events by 22

Adding an angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor to standard care in patients at high risk of cardiovascular events reduces the risk of cardiovascular death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, and stroke by nearly one quarter. This is the finding of a major study presented at last week's annual meeting of the European Society of Cardiology, held in Barcelona.

In contrast, negative results in a trial with an oral platelet glycoprotein IIb-IIIa antagonist (showing no difference in survival in patients with unstable angina or myocardial infarction when compared with aspirin) seemed to signal the end of the line for these agents, after similar findings in two previous trials.

The first study—the heart outcomes prevention evaluation (HOPE)—showed that patients randomised to the ACE …