ACE Inhibitors

ACE inhibitors produce benefit and harm through the same mechanism, which is why their adverse effects cannot be memorized as a list. This lesson connects the pharmacology to indication-directed assessment, to the interpretation of potassium and renal trends, and to the escalation decisions that follow. By the end you should be able to: - Trace each ACE inhibitor effect to its mechanism and use that to decide what to assess next. - Establish indication-specific baseline and outcome data before the first dose. - Interpret blood-pressure, potassium, renal and volume trends rather than isolated values. - Identify the medication and supplement combinations that convert a safe regimen into acute kidney injury or hyperkalemia. - Prioritize nursing action and escalate with trajectories and context rather than raw numbers.