CARDIOPROTECTIVE EFFECTS OF QUINAPRIL AFTER MYOCARDIAL-INFARCTION IN HYPERTENSIVE RATS

Although angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors are beneficial for p atients with congestive heart failure, the appropriate timing and dosa ge in acute myocardial infarction are still controversial. We examined the hemodynamic effects of quinapril administered before acute myocar dial infarction in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). Quinapril (1 0 mg/kg per day in drinking water) was started 1 week before infarctio n and continued for 4 weeks after infarction (total duration 5 weeks). The hemodynamic parameters were evaluated by cardiac catheterization 4 weeks after coronary ligation. Sham-operated SHR served as controls. After infarction, left ventricular end-diastolic and right atrial pre ssures were increased (P < 0.01) and blood pressure and cardiac index were decreased (P < 0.01); the magnitude of blood pressure reduction w as similar in the treated and untreated rats with infarction. Quinapri l improved these hemodynamic parameters significantly and decreased le ft and right ventricular weight. These results suggest that a prior tr eatment with quinapril in SHR with acute myocardial infarction is hemo dynamically beneficial. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All nights rese rved.