REDUCTION OF INFARCTION SIZE AND REMODELING UNDER RAMIPRIL

It is known that angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors not on ly prevent the formation of angiotensin II, but also potentiate the ac tivity of bradykinin. We investigated the effects of the ACE-inhibitor ramipril in two models of cardiac ischemia. In anesthetized dogs with a coronary occlusion of 6-h duration, both ramiprilat and bradykinin significantly reduced infarct-size. This effect was prevented by the c o-administration of the bradykinin antagonist HOE 140. In rats with a coronary occlusion of 6-weeks duration, ramipril administration signif icantly reduced infarct-size and prevented the development of left ven tricular hypertrophy. Thus, ramipril showed a cardioprotective activit y in models of acute as well as of chronic myocardial ischemia. These effects are probably mediated by the potentiation of bradykinin.