In the landscape of cardiovascular medicine, ACE inhibitors are often compared to Angiotensin Receptor Blockers. Both types of drugs target the same hormonal system, but they do so at different points in the process. While ACE inhibitors stop the production of the harmful hormone, the blockers allow the hormone to be made but prevent it from "docking" with its receptors on the blood vessels.

The primary reason a doctor might switch a patient from an inhibitor to a blocker is the development of a persistent dry cough. Because the inhibitors affect the breakdown of a substance called bradykinin, it can build up in the lungs and trigger a tickle in the throat. The blockers do not have this effect on bradykinin, so they do not cause the cough. However, many experts still prefer starting with an ACE inhibitor because they have a longer and more extensive history of proven success in reducing mortality after heart attacks.