Electrophysiological changes of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition after myocardial infarction

To investigate whether prevention of remodeling would translate into a more stable electrophysiological profile, the investigators randomized 56 patie nts to treatment with angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibition or pla cebo for 3 months after myocardial infarction. Programmed electrical stimul ation revealed no significant differences in inducibility of monomorphic su stained ventricular tachycardia (VT), whereas ventricular fibrillation (VF) tended to be lower in the ACE-inhibitor group. Effective refractory period s were consistently longer, and dispersion of refractoriness was significan tly shorter in the ACE-inhibitor group. The investigators conclude that in this small patient group ACE inhibition may mildly add to a more stable ele ctrophysiological profile.