ACE Inhibitors (ACEIs) are used by tens of millions of Americans to treat high blood pressure, heart failure, diabetes, and kidney disease.

The cost for ACEIs varies from about $20 to more than $100 a month. This reportgives you information that could save you hundreds of dollars a year if you are currentlytaking a brand-name ACEI, and $1,200 or more a year if you are taking the highest-priced ACEIs.

ACEIs are effective, life-saving medicines with more than 20 years of widespread safe use. They help lower the risk of both fatal and nonfatal heart attacks and strokes, and kidney failure. And they improve quality of life. This report compares the effectiveness,safety, and cost of the 10 ACEIs.  We have selected the following five ACEIs as Consumer Reports Best Buy Drugs based primarily on the evidence for their effectiveness, but also on dosing convenience and cost in treating the following conditions:

• For high blood pressure - benazepril, enalapril, and lisinopril
• For heart failure - enalapril, captopril
• After a heart attack - lisinopril
• For diabetics - ramipril (Altace)
• For people with kidney disease - benazepril, ramipril (Altace)

Four of these medicines are low-cost or moderately priced generics. All have been proven to be just as effective as or superior to other ACEIs. One Best Buy "ramipril (Altace)" is a brand—name drug for which no generic copy is yet available. Altace is moderately priced.

The ACEIs can lower blood pressure. But they should not be taken as initial "first-step" treatment by people with high blood pressure who do not have heart disease, diabetes, or kidney disease.