IS ACE-INHIBITOR TREATMENT A POSSIBLE CAUSE OF BETTER CARDIOVASCULAR REMODELING IN WELL-FUNCTIONING KIDNEY-TRANSPLANT

Diseases of the cardiovascular system are a common cause of death in r enal transplanted patients. In this study we assessed the echocardiogr aphic morphological and functional findings after renal transplantatio n of two homogenous groups of transplanted patients with normal renal function. The first (A) with spontaneously normotensive patients, the second (B) with moderate hypertension treated mainly with Ace inhibito rs. Analysis of these data highlights two noteworthy results: the simi lar left ventricle hypertrophy found in both groups and the existence of better diastolic compliance among the hypertensive transplanted pat ients. If this is confirmed by studies currently in progress, the impo rtance of Ace-inhibitors treatment in remodelling cardiac dysfunction after long term dialysis treatment might be seriously considered.