[Modification of hemodynamics by angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors in heart failure]

Challenge to a new therapeutic principle to treat heart failure is to ameliorate or eliminate symptoms, decelerate progression of the disease and reduce mortality. However, to begin, one would request improvement of objective hemodynamic parameters. Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors may have acute and chronic, global and regional effects. ACE inhibitors acutely and chronically reduce pre- and afterload without reflex tachycardia. They lower myocardial oxygen consumption and improve the relation of coronary blood flow to myocardial oxygen consumption. Cerebral and renal blood flow generally are beneficially influenced if the blood pressure is not lowered too much. Left ventricular dilatation following extensive myocardial infarction which is prognostically unfavourable, may be retarded or prevented by ACE-inhibitors. It is not yet clear whether mortality may thus be reduced as in patients with severe heart failure. Large multicenter studies currently address this question. It is unclear as well whether the effects of ACE-inhibitors are exclusively due to a reduction of circulating angiotensin II. Most likely, interference is of major importance with local renin-angiotensin systems, other hormone systems and the central and peripheral nervous system.