A 62-year-old patient with hypertension is started on a new medication. After a few weeks, he develops a persistent, non-productive cough that is particularly bothersome at night. Which class of antihypertensive drugs is most likely responsible for this side effect?

The correct answer to the question "A 62-year-old patient with hypertension is started on a new medication. After a few weeks, he develops a persistent, non-productive cough that is particularly bothersome at night. Which class of antihypertensive drugs is most likely responsible for this side effect?" is Option D: ACE inhibitors.

The other options — A) Thiazide diuretics, B) Beta-blockers, C) Calcium channel blockers — are incorrect for this USMLE Exam Prep question. As explained above: ACE inhibitors commonly cause a persistent, dry cough in about 10-20% of patients. This side effect is thought to be due to the accumulation of bradykinin, which is normally degraded by ACE.