ACE-INHIBITION AND THE VASCULAR INTIMA IN HYPERTENSION

Both the function and the morphology of the vascular intima are altere d during hypertension. In spontaneously hypertensive rats, endothelium -dependent relaxation is decreased, and the subendothelium becomes inf iltrated with monocyte macrophages. It is not known if these two featu res are secondary to high blood pressure and what their consequences a re; however, both can be reversed by angiotensin-converting enzyme (AC E) inhibition. The present paper summarizes the effects of a chronic t reatment with the ACE inhibitor cilazapril on endothelial function and subendothelial morphology in spontaneously hypertensive rats.