Might renin-angiotensin system blockers play a role in the COVID-19 pandemic?

ABSTRACT

Since December 2019, a new coronavirus, named SARS-CoV-2, has spread globally, affecting >200 000 people worldwide with the so-called COVID-19 disease. The scientific community is actively and constantly working to identify the mechanisms involved in the diffusion of this virus and the pathogenesis of the infection, with its most frequent and severe complication, namely interstitial pneumonia. To date, SARS-CoV-2 is known to enter the host cells via the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 protein. For this reason, the hypothesis that drugs capable of increasing the expression of this protein may have a role in the spread of the virus and in the symptomatology of affected patients has taken hold. The purpose of this Editorial is to briefly show the evidence currently available in this regard and to provide ideas for future research.