SYSTEMIC AND REGIONAL HEMODYNAMIC-EFFECTS OF PERINDOPRIL IN EXPERIMENTAL HEART-FAILURE

The effects of converting-enzyme inhibition by perindoprilat (0.5 mg/k g, intravenously, short-term administration) or perindopril (2 mg/kg, orally, long-term administration once a day for 21 days) on systemic a nd regional hemodynamics were studied on a new rat model of heart fail ure, which was induced by microembolization of coronary vessels by 15 mum plastic microspheres. Cardiac output and regional blood flows were measured by microsphere technique; the tone of the venous vessels was determined as mean circulatory filling pressure in conscious, freely moving rats. Perindoprilat evoked a much more prominent increase in ki dneys, adrenal glands, intestine, and skin blood flows in embolized ra ts than in sham-operated rats. The differences between the effects of long-term treatment with perindopril in sham-operated and embolized ra ts were highly significant. Mean circulatory filling pressure was decr eased by short-term and long-term administration of an angiotensin-con verting enzyme inhibitor. It is concluded that venous vessels could be one of the target sites for the effects of perindopril-like drugs.