Related Experiment Videos
Long-term treatment with captopril in pediatric patients with severe hypertension and chronic renal failure
Insights
Captopril effectively lowered blood pressure in pediatric patients with hypertension undergoing regular hemodialysis. This angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor treatment improved blood pressure control in this vulnerable population.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Nephrology
- Cardiovascular Pharmacology
- Renal Medicine
Background:
- Hypertension is a common complication in children with end-stage renal disease requiring hemodialysis.
- Existing antihypertensive treatments often fail to adequately control blood pressure in this patient group.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy and safety of captopril in hypertensive pediatric patients undergoing regular hemodialysis.
- To assess the impact of captopril on blood pressure, plasma renin activity, and plasma aldosterone levels.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 42 hypertensive pediatric patients (1-17 years) on regular hemodialysis received captopril.
- Patients initially had insufficient blood pressure control despite existing antihypertensive therapy.
- Dosage ranged from 0.3 to 3 mg/kg/day, with a maximum effective dose of 3 mg/kg/day.
Main Results:
- Captopril significantly reduced both systolic (162 to 114 mmHg) and diastolic (106 to 86 mmHg) blood pressures.
- Plasma renin activity increased significantly, while plasma aldosterone levels decreased to normal for age.
- Treatment was sustained for a mean of over 3 years.
Conclusions:
- Captopril is an effective antihypertensive agent for pediatric patients with end-stage renal disease on hemodialysis.
- The drug normalizes aldosterone levels and demonstrates long-term efficacy and safety in this population.
Abstract:
Captopril was given to 42 hypertensive patients aged 1 to 17 years who were treated by regular haemodialysis because of terminal renal failure. Initially all patients were on antihypertensive treatment without sufficient control of blood pressure. Under captopril all patients presented a significant decrease of both systolic and diastolic blood pressures. The mean decrease of systolic blood pressure was from 162 to 114 and that of diastolic blood pressure from 106 to 86 mmHg. Plasma renin activity rose significantly in all cases whereas plasma aldosterone dropped and reached normal levels for age. The maximum effective dosage was 3 mg/kg/day. Total duration of treatment with captopril ranged from 1 1/2 to 6 1/12 (mean 3 2/12) years. At last observation the dosage of captopril varied between 0.3 and 3 mg/kg/day.