The etiology of Alzheimer's disease (AD) remains unclear. Epidemiologic studies suggest hypertension plays a contributing role to AD. Recently, several experimental and observational studies showed interaction between the renin-angiotensin system and amyloid-β, a key pathologic feature of AD, with diverse results. This article reviews molecular, genetic, experimental and clinical data to clarify the impact on an AD patient with angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor and angiotensin II receptor blocker therapy, with some guidance for the direction of possible future research.
Key words: Alzheimer's disease; Amyloid-β; Renin angiotensin system.