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[Captopril in the treatment of patients with congestive heart failure. Its bicycle ergometry evaluation]
S R Ferreira Filho1, S A Hatab, C Benchimol
1Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, MG, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo.
Insights
Captopril significantly improves physical performance in patients with congestive heart failure (CHF). This angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor offers better exercise capacity than conventional treatments, with diuretic therapy being interchangeable.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Pharmacology
- Exercise Physiology
Background:
- Congestive heart failure (CHF) impacts physical performance.
- Conventional treatments include digitalis and diuretics.
- Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors represent a therapeutic option.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact of captopril on the physical performance of CHF patients (NYHA grades I and II).
- To compare captopril-based regimens against conventional therapy using ergometric testing.
Main Methods:
- Randomized, double-blind study involving 20 CHF patients.
- Ergometric testing performed across three therapeutic phases: conventional, captopril plus conventional, and captopril plus digitalis or diuretic.
- Progressive workload increase until symptom limitation.
Main Results:
- Captopril addition to conventional CHF treatment significantly increased exercise duration.
- Enhanced oxygen consumption and total workload were observed with captopril-based regimens.
- Significant improvements in physical exercise capacity were noted.
Conclusions:
- Captopril improves physical performance in early-stage CHF compared to conventional treatments.
- ACE inhibitors like captopril offer a viable alternative to diuretic therapy in CHF management.
- Captopril demonstrates efficacy in enhancing exercise tolerance for CHF patients.
Purpose:
To analyze the physical performance of the patients with congestive heart failure (CHF), grades I and II of the New York Heart Association (NYHA), submitted to ergometric test: 1) under conventional treatment with digitalis and diuretic; 2) with an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor, captopril, associate with conventional treatment; 3) using captopril associated with digitalis or diuretic.
Methods:
A randomized double blind study was performed in 20 patients with CHF (I and II-NYHA) submitted to ergometric test in different therapeutic phases. The initial workload was 5 watts and load was increased until the appearance of limiting symptoms.
Results:
The introduction of captopril to the conventional treatment for CHF or associated with digitalis or diuretic promotes significant increase in the duration of the physical exercise, in the oxygen consumption and in the total workload during the ergometric test.
Conclusion:
In the initial forms of CHF, captopril provides better physical performance when compared with conventional treatment and the diuretic treatment can be changed for the angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor with equal efficacy.