Effect of enalapril on renal profile and right ventricular dimensions in chronic cor pulmonale

The effect of enalapril in combination with bronchodilators, diuretics, antibiotics and/or steroids, was compared with that of conventional treatment with diuretics, steroids and antibiotics alone in 30 patients of chronic cor-pulmonale. The effect was studied on right ventricular dimensions and renal profile after a period of 6 weeks treatment. The control patients showed a significant decrease of RVIDED and increase in GFR, but the decrease of RVAWT and increase of 'a' wave amplitude was insignificant. However when the ACE-inhibitor enalapril was added to the treatment, there was a significant decrease of RVIDED, RVAWT and an increase of 'a' wave amplitude with a significant improvement in the GFR. A comparison between both the groups showed that the increase of GFR and decrease of RVIDED was higher in enalapril group than controls. The increase of 'a' wave amplitude was also greater in enalapril group. Thus enalapril appears to be of value in chronic cor-pulmonale, where it decreases pulmonary hypertension and thus right ventricular after load. It also decreases renal vascular resistance increasing the renal blood flow, thus improving the GFR.