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The use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors in congestive heart failure

  • Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibition and the Cardiovascular System
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Summary

The development of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors has been important in furthering our understanding of the pathophysiology of congestive heart failure and improving the care of these patients. ACE inhibitors have been shown to improve the longevity and quality of life of patients with congestive heart failure. They decrease neurohumoral over-activation, they restore baroreceptor reactivity, and in many cases they increase sodium and water excretion. If hypovolemia and an excessive decrease in renal perfusion pressure can be avoided, ACE inhibitors generally do not cause a deterioration of renal function and may even improve it. By decreasing myocardial metabolic demand, ACE inhibitors appear to have generally beneficial effects on myocardial metabolic balance. At low perfusion pressures, they also appear to maintain cerebral blood flow.

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  1. Centre de Recherche, Hopital du Sacré-Coeur de Montréal and Université de Montréal, 5400 boul. Gouin west, H4J, 1C5, Montréal, Québec, Canada

    Jean L. Rouleau, Carl Juneau & Jacques de Champlain

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  1. Jean L. Rouleau
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  2. Carl Juneau
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  3. Jacques de Champlain
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Rouleau, J.L., Juneau, C. & de Champlain, J. The use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors in congestive heart failure. Cardiovasc Drug Ther 3, 883–890 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01869576

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