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Comment by sgroppino | Hacker News Reader

From the article: "ACE2 can also be increased by thiazolidinediones and ibuprofen. These data suggest that ACE2 expression is increased in diabetes and treatment with ACE inhibitors and ARBs increases ACE2 expression. Consequently, the increased expression of ACE2 would facilitate infection with COVID-19. We therefore hypothesise that diabetes and hypertension treatment with ACE2-stimulating drugs increases the risk of developing severe and fatal COVID-19."

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Considering that lisinopril (Prinivil, Zestrel, etc, an ACE inhibitor) is, according to any list I could find, easily in the top 10 meds prescribed in the US (and by some top three or number one), this is something that should definitely be more publicly known.

I’m not saying anyone should just stop taking their hypertension drugs, that’s a horrible idea. But if you do suspect that you might have COVID-19, you should probably call your doctor - there’s no shortage of other options.

One of those lists: https://www.medicinenet.com/top_drugs_prescribed_in_the_us/v...

A virologist gives a different view in this thread:

https://twitter.com/angie_rasmussen/status/12389469408820060...

Btw, ACE2 expression is decreased in unmedicated diabetics and HTN patients and the elderly which would imply that those groups should have some degree of protection from the virus (ceteris paribus, obviously). In fact that seems to be exactly the opposite of what we see. Some research even indicates that ACE2 could help prevent ARDS-induced lung injury:

https://www.nature.com/articles/srep27911

But in that article the injury wasn't induced by COVID-19 so really we don't know enough yet.

(Ref. for decreased ACE2 expression in diabetes: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2992757/)

It is widely known (to some extent) that preexisting conditions severely contribute to the harm of covid-19.

ACE != ACE2.

ACE inhibitors have no effect on ACE2.

https://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/10.1139/y02-021

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/26859747_Upregulati...

"Upregulation of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) 2 in hepatic fibrosis by ACE inhibitors"

are those ACE inhibitors also prescribed in China? I really doubt that

Why do you doubt they are prescribed in China?

any reason to doubt it? I mean they are made of flesh and blood as well.

hypertension is a western disease

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