Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE inhibitors) exert their action by competitively inhibiting the action of angiotensin-converting enzyme.
Angiotensin-converting enzyme forms part of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system. This is a system of proteins, enzymes and hormones involved in the regulation of the arterial blood pressure and plasma sodium concentration.
To understand where and how ACE inhibitors act, you need to understand how the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system works.
The following pages give details about the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system starting with information about the enzymes, hormones and organs involved.
Note: while the description includes many details about the system, it is not a fully comprehensive description of the system.