A new trial led by the Perelman School of Medicine will evaluate whether the use of medications to treat high blood pressure affect outcomes among patients who are prescribed the medication and hospitalized with COVID-19.

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As part of the multi-center, international trial called REPLACE COVID, investigators will examine whether ACE inhibitors (ACEI) or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs)—two classes of medications to treat high blood pressure—help to mitigate complications or lead to more severe symptoms and worse outcomes. The study is enrolling patients now.

Through the trial, investigators will randomly assign patients who are hospitalized with COVID-19 to either stop or continue taking their prescribed medication. The team will closely monitor the patients to evaluate the effect of temporarily stopping the therapy. Julio A. Chirinos, an associate professor of cardiovascular medicine, and Jordana B. Cohen, an assistant professor in the division of Renal-Electrolyte and Hypertension, are the study’s co-principal investigators.