Controversies of renin-angiotensin system inhibition during the COVID-19 pandemic

The current COVID-19 pandemic is associated with unprecedented morbidity and mortality. Early reports suggested an association between disease severity and hypertension but did not account for sources of confounding. However, the responsible virus - SARS-CoV-2 - gains entry to host cells via angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), highlighting the need to understand the relationship between the virus and the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) and how this might be affected by RAS inhibitors.