ACE-INHIBITORS AND COUGH IN THAI PATIENTS - A PRELIMINARY-REPORT

One hundred and three patients who visited the Cardiovascular Unit, Department of Medicine, Pramongkutklao Hospital, Bangkok were studied for adverse drug reactions of ACE inhibitors. The patients received one of these drugs with or without other agents for the treatment of hypertension and/or congestive heart failure. Adverse reactions found in this study were divided into four classes, namely, certain, probable, possible and unlikely. When all classes of the reactions were considered, it was found that 236 adverse events had occurred in 84 patients, and the four most frequent side effects were dizziness, headache, fatigue and cough, respectively. However, the most common reaction seemingly induced by ACE inhibitors themselves was cough which was observed in 10% of patients (8% in hypertension and 2% In congestive heart failure). No skin rash was noted in this study.