Persistent improvement of cardiovascular risk factors in spontaneously hypertensive rats following early short-term captopril treatment

This study was designed to determine whether an improvement in cardiovascul ar risk factors persists in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) following withdrawal of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor (ACE-I) treatment. S HR were given deionized drinking water or captopril solution from four to s ixteen weeks of age. At twelve weeks of age, rats from each group were inst rumented with radiotelemetry devices for continuous monitoring of blood pre ssure. Mean arterial blood pressure was significantly lower in captopril-tr eated SHR during treatment (92 +/-2 vs 147+/-1 mm Hg), and at twelve weeks after treatment withdrawal (131+/-2 vs 158+/-2 mm Hg). In addition, protein uria, renal vascular resistance, plasma triglyceride levels, fasting glucos e levels, post-prandial insulin levels, and heart weights were significantl y reduced in the treated SHR compared to control SHR, at time-points betwee n three to seven months after captopril withdrawal. Our findings indicate t hat short-term administration of an ACE-I during the developmental phase of hypertension in the SHR results in a long-term overall improvement of card iovascular risk factors.