Irritant Cough in ACE Inhibitor Therapy

The rise in bradykinin and prostaglandin levels probably plays a role in dry irritable cough. Dry irritable cough is not an allergic reaction, nor is bronchial obstruction triggered. The irritable cough is reversible in any case after discontinuation of the ACE inhibitor therapy or dose reduction. Changing the ACE inhibitor does not improve the symptoms. The frequency of dry coughing varies greatly (between 0.5 and 15 %). On average, this symptomatology must be expected in about 5 % of patients.