Long‐term treatment of congestive heart failure with captopril.

Abstract

1 The efficacy of the converting‐enzyme inhibitor captopril in the management of severe congestive heart failure was assessed in 14 patients over 360‐885 days by clinical evaluation, M‐mode echocardiography, systolic time intervals, plasma renin activity, and plasma aldosterone. 2 As compared with baseline values, a significant reduction was observed in heart rate, mean arterial pressure, left ventricular end‐diastolic and end‐systolic diameters, left ventricular pre‐ejection period, tension time index, body weight, and plasma aldosterone. Significant increases in left ventricular ejection time and fractional circumferential shortening (p less than 0.01) were also observed. 3 The functional and haemodynamic benefit provided by captopril was therefore sustained during long‐term therapy without severe untoward effects or attenuation. 1982 The British Pharmacological Society