From: COVID-19 and the RAAS—a potential role for angiotensin II?
Decreased ACE2 expression decreases infectivity of SARS [6, 10] | |
SARS-CoV-2 utilizes ACE2 to enter cells like SARS-CoV-1 [6] | |
Patients taking ACE inhibotors and ARBs have increased ACE2 expression [15] | |
Patient with hypertension are at high risk for severe COVID infection and death [5] | |
Hypothesis: Exogenous angiotensin II via reduction ACE2 expression in the vasculature and heart may decrease viral propagation and thus improve outcomes. |