[A rare clinical form of angioneurotic edema caused by enalapril: acute abdomen].

The authors reports an unrecognised secondary effect, but perhaps not as rare as has been thought, of enalapril: the acute abdomen. Three similar cases have previously been reported. The underlying mechanism is probably the inhibition of degradation of tissue kinins to inactive peptides as in subcutaneous and/or submucous angioneurotic oedema. Todate, this secondary effect has not been reported with other angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors. The relationship between the acute abdomen and angioneurotic oedema with primary hyperaldosteronism is discussed.