Zestril is an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor which blocks the production of a hormone (chemical signal carried in the blood) called angiotensin II.

• Angiotensin II is a chemical that is made by the body, which narrows blood vessels and thereby maintains (elevates) blood pressure.
  
  
• ACE is important for the formation of angiotensin II. When ACE is blocked by Zestril, angiotensin cannot be converted into its active form, angiotensin II, and blood pressure falls (due to relaxation and widening of the arteries).
  
  
• Lowering the blood pressure puts less strain on the heart and therefore Zestril improves the pumping efficiency of the heart and is used to treat patients with heart failure.
  
  
• In some patients who have had a heart attack, Zestril helps the heart to recover and helps to prevent later complications such as heart failure or weakness of the heart muscle.
  
  
• Reducing blood pressure and blocking angiotensin II formation with Zestril may be of special benefit in hypertensive patients who suffer from diabetes. This is because ACE inhibition may protect the smallest arteries from damage and this may help to prevent diabetic complications of the eye and kidneys.

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