1
short-answer questions
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation
Date
, 2
1. Some patients who suffer from hypertension (high blood pressure) are prescribed
medications in the category of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors.
Explain why these drugs are used to combat hypertension.
Normal blood pressure is important in the normal functioning of various body organs.
Usually, blood pressure is recorded in two readings, namely, systolic blood pressure, which refers
to the amount of pressure the blood exerted against the wall of the arteries during a heartbeat,
and diastolic blood pressure (the amount of pressure exerted on the walls of the arteries when the
heart relax). The normal blood systolic pressure is less than 120 mmHg, while the normal
diastolic pressure is less than 80 mmHg. On the other hand, hypertension refers to persistently
elevated blood pressure above 140/90 mmHg.
One of the most important body systems regulating blood pressure is the renin-angiotensin-
aldosterone system. This system consists of three key hormones: renin, angiotensin, and
aldosterone. Renin is produced by the juxtaglomerular apparatus of the kidney when there is
reduced renal perfusion pressure, low sodium delivery to the kidney, or sympathetic stimulation.
Secreted renin converts angiotensinogen in the liver to angiotensin I, which is, in turn, converted
to angiotensin II in the lungs by the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) (Ames et al., 2019).
Angiotensin II leads to a rise in blood pressure by causing arterial vasoconstriction, increased
sodium reabsorption in the kidney, increased release of norepinephrine, increased thirst sensation
and stimulate the release of ADH and also stimulate the adrenal cortex to increase the release of
aldosterone, which further enhance sodium reabsorption to increase blood volume consequently
causing an increase in blood pressure (Ames et al., 2019).
short-answer questions
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation
Date
, 2
1. Some patients who suffer from hypertension (high blood pressure) are prescribed
medications in the category of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors.
Explain why these drugs are used to combat hypertension.
Normal blood pressure is important in the normal functioning of various body organs.
Usually, blood pressure is recorded in two readings, namely, systolic blood pressure, which refers
to the amount of pressure the blood exerted against the wall of the arteries during a heartbeat,
and diastolic blood pressure (the amount of pressure exerted on the walls of the arteries when the
heart relax). The normal blood systolic pressure is less than 120 mmHg, while the normal
diastolic pressure is less than 80 mmHg. On the other hand, hypertension refers to persistently
elevated blood pressure above 140/90 mmHg.
One of the most important body systems regulating blood pressure is the renin-angiotensin-
aldosterone system. This system consists of three key hormones: renin, angiotensin, and
aldosterone. Renin is produced by the juxtaglomerular apparatus of the kidney when there is
reduced renal perfusion pressure, low sodium delivery to the kidney, or sympathetic stimulation.
Secreted renin converts angiotensinogen in the liver to angiotensin I, which is, in turn, converted
to angiotensin II in the lungs by the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) (Ames et al., 2019).
Angiotensin II leads to a rise in blood pressure by causing arterial vasoconstriction, increased
sodium reabsorption in the kidney, increased release of norepinephrine, increased thirst sensation
and stimulate the release of ADH and also stimulate the adrenal cortex to increase the release of
aldosterone, which further enhance sodium reabsorption to increase blood volume consequently
causing an increase in blood pressure (Ames et al., 2019).
