Pressure-lowering medication associated with birth defects

By Laura Vogltanz

Published on June 12, 2006

ACE inhibitors increase blood flow to the heart by relaxing the blood vessels, ultimately lowering blood pressure. This product has been on the market for about 25 years, but little research has been done on women in the early stage of pregnancy.

Recently, the Tennessee study found that babies whose mothers took ACE inhibitors in the first trimester where more than twice as likely to be born with brain and heart problems as those not exposed to pressure-lowering medications. The most common problems included kidney problems and holes in the heart

ACE inhibitors have a strong Food and Drug Administration warning about their dangers in the later stages of pregnancy including lung problems, skull deformities, and even fetal death, but little is known about the effects during the early stage. The FDA says they won’t change the label to include first trimester risks until more research is conducted.

Uncontrolled high blood pressure can also harm the fetus, so mothers aren’t recommended to stop treatment, just to switch to other pressure-lowering medication.

In 2005, sales of ACE inhibitors in the United States were over $3.8 billion with about 150 prescriptions filled.

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