INFLUENCE OF CAPTOPRIL, PROPRANOLOL, AND VERAPAMIL ON ARTERIAL PULSE-WAVE VELOCITY AND OTHER CARDIOVASCULAR PARAMETERS IN HEALTHY-VOLUNTEERS

Objective: The effects of antihypertensive agents on cardiovascular pa rameters, especially on arterial pulse wave velocity, remain largely u nknown in normotensive subjects. Therefore, the present investigation was designed to evaluate acute effects of ACE inhibitor captopril, bet a-adrenoceptor blocker propranolol and calcium entry blocker verapamil on cardiovascular and ventilatory function in healthy volunteers. Mat erial: The influence of single doses of captopril (25 mg), propranolol (40 mg), and verapamil (80 mg) on cardiovascular function and exercis e capacity were compared in healthy volunteers in a randomized, double -blind, placebo-controlled fashion. Methods: Cardiac output and beat-b y-beat blood pressure were estimated non-invasively before and after t he drug administrations by whole-body impedance cardiography and Finap res finger blood pressure monitoring, respectively. Arterial pulse wav e velocity was obtained from the time delay between flow pulses measur ed from the root of the aorta and the popliteal artery, and systemic v ascular resistance was calculated from cardiac output and mean arteria l pressure. In addition, a progressive maximal exercise test was perfo rmed after the treatments. Results: Propranolol reduced heart rate, ca rdiac output and arterial pulse wave velocity, and increased systemic vascular resistance clearly more effectively than placebo. In addition , captopril effectively decreased arterial resistance and pulse wave v elocity. However, the influence of verapamil on cardiovascular paramet ers did not significantly differ from those observed in placebo-treate d subjects. Exercise peak heart rate, peak blood pressure, and minute ventilation were reduced in subjects treated with propranolol, but not in those treated with captopril and verapamil, when compared to place bo. Conclusions: Acute administration of captopril and propranolol but not verapamil clearly modulated cardiovascular parameters in rest, su ggesting differential effects of these compounds on cardiovascular fun ction in healthy volunteers. These drugs seem to have disparate effect s on arterial pulse wave propagation as an indicator of arterial compl iance after short-term administration in healthy subjects. Captopril a nd verapamil had no effect on cardiovascular and ventilatory function during maximal exercise, while propranolol markedly altered also these variables in the present study.