DOES ANGIOTENSIN II RECEPTOR BLOCKERS/ANGIOTENSIN CONVERTING ENZYME INHIBITORS INCREASE THE RISK OF COVID-19 INFECTED PATIENTS?

Cengiz Karacaer^{1, *}, Zubeyir Yurtsever¹, Hamad Dheir², Selcuk Yaylaci¹, Ceyhun Varim¹, Ahmet Nalbant¹, Taner Demirci³, Tezcan Kaya¹

¹Department of Internal Medicine, Sakarya University Research and Education Hospital, Sakarya, Turkey - ²Department of Nephrology, Sakarya University Research and Education Hospital, Sakarya, Turkey - ³Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Sakarya University Research and Education Hospital, Sakarya, Turkey

Objective: The study aims to determine whether ACEI/ARB use associated with an increased probability of viral infection and investigate whether there are differences in disease severity and mortality between ACEI/ARB users and non-ACEI/ARB users.

Material and methods: In this retrospective study, 330 patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 disease were divided into two groups: patients using ACEI/ARB Blocker and patients not using it. Baseline features and prognoses were compared for the two groups.

Results: The rate of intensive care hospitalization in the group using ACE/ARB was significantly (p<0.05) higher than the group not using ACEI/ARB on the day of hospitalization in the intensive care unit. The degree of clinical classification in the group using ACEI/ARB was significantly (p<0.05) higher than the group not using ACE/ARB. The mortality rate in the group using ACE/ARB was significantly (p<0.05) higher than the group not using ACEI/ARB. 

Conclusion: Although it has been determined that the use of antihypertensive ACEI/ARB in COVID 19 patients is associated with mortality and survival, it has been concluded that the continuation of ACEI/ARB use would be more appropriate for the continuation of antihypertensive treatment.