Related Experiment Videos
Effect of captopril on left ventricular mass and function in hypertensive patients and in the rat
Insights
Captopril, alone or with hydrochlorothiazide, slightly reduced left ventricular mass in hypertensive patients over 6 months. Cardiac performance remained unaffected, showing significant individual variability in response.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Pharmacology
- Hypertension Research
Background:
- Essential hypertension can lead to left ventricular hypertrophy.
- Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors like captopril are used to manage hypertension.
- Assessing cardiac structural changes is crucial in antihypertensive therapy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effects of captopril, alone or combined with hydrochlorothiazide, on left ventricular echocardiographic parameters in patients with mild to moderate essential hypertension.
- To assess the impact of these treatments on cardiac performance and myocardial properties.
Main Methods:
- Twenty-seven patients with mild to moderate essential hypertension were treated with captopril or captopril plus hydrochlorothiazide.
- Left ventricular echocardiography was performed at 1, 3, and 6 months.
- Isomyosin composition was studied in normotensive rats after 12 weeks of captopril administration.
Main Results:
- A slight decrease in left ventricular mass, mean wall stress, and total peripheral resistance was observed after 3 months.
- Cardiac performance, including fractional shortening and cardiac output, remained unchanged.
- Significant individual variability in left ventricular mass reduction was noted.
- No alterations in myocardial biochemical or structural properties were detected in rats.
Conclusions:
- Captopril-based treatments can lead to modest reductions in left ventricular mass in hypertensive patients.
- The drug combination did not significantly improve cardiac performance within the study period.
- Further research is needed to understand the variability in patient response and long-term effects.
Abstract:
Twenty-seven mild to moderate essential hypertensive patients were treated with captopril alone or combined with hydrochlorothiazide and left ventricular echocardiographic changes were evaluated after 1, 3 and 6 months. The left ventricular mass decreased slightly after 3 months, together with mean wall stress and total peripheral resistance, while the cardiac performance, as measured by fractional shortening and cardiac output, was unaffected. A high degree of individual variability was observed, and only 9 out of 20 patients examined after 3 months had a consistent reduction in left ventricular mass. The effect of captopril on the isomyosin composition was also evaluated in 4 normotensive rats after 12 weeks of drug administration. No interference with the physiological pattern was observed and no modifications of the biochemical and structural properties of the myocardium were detected.