ACE Inhibitors and Birth Defects

As family doctors are diagnosing diabetes and hypertension earlier and earlier, the use of ACE Inhibitors in younger patients is becoming more common. However, it is good to be reminded that ACE Inhibitor may be associated with an increased risk of birth defects (and currently this is a black-boxed warning). For woman of childbearing age, options other than ACE Inhibitors should be considered. So when we get that fax from the insurance company urging us to start an ACE Inhibitor for our young, diabetic, female patient, we should feel free to tell them to bugger off.