Haemodynamic, hormonal, and electrolyte responses to captopril in resistant heart failure

Lancet. 1981 Jan 10;1(8211):71-4. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(81)90004-0.

Abstract

In five patients with resistant heart failure treated with the oral converting-enzyme inhibitor, captopril, standardised and intensive haemodynamic, hormone, and electrolyte monitoring showed significantly raised cardiac output and reduced arterial, pulmonary-wedge, and pulmonary-artery pressures which correlated closely with concomitant alterations in the activity of the renin-angiotensin system. These changes occurred in the absence of a natriuresis or diuresis. Clinical improvement was dramatic and paralleled the objective haemodynamic changes. Hyponatraemia and a rise in plasma-potassium were noted. Captopril is a major advance in the treatment of resistant heart failure, and its beneficial haemodynamic effects relate primarily to a blockade of the renin-angiotensin system, the activity of which is increased by conventional drug therapy.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Angiotensin II / blood*
  • Captopril / pharmacology*
  • Captopril / therapeutic use
  • Clinical Trials as Topic
  • Heart Failure / drug therapy*
  • Heart Failure / physiopathology
  • Hemodynamics / drug effects*
  • Humans
  • Middle Aged
  • Potassium / blood*
  • Proline / analogs & derivatives*
  • Renin / blood*
  • Sodium / blood*

Substances

  • Angiotensin II
  • Proline
  • Captopril
  • Sodium
  • Renin
  • Potassium