title: [ACE inhibitors and vagal activity: the effect of captopril and lisinopril on cardiovascular reflexes].
abstract: The influence of the ACE-inhibitors captopril and lisinopril on parasympathetic activity in normotensive subjects was evaluated. Three cardiovascular tests which explored chiefly parasympathetic function (deep breathing, lying to standing and Valsalva test) were performed in 10 normotensive volunteers (mean age 26.1 years) in both basal conditions and after four days of treatment with either captopril (25 mg twice a day) or lisinopril (20 mg once a day). Mean blood pressure was not influenced by captopril, whereas it was significantly lowered with lisinopril (from 94.4 +/- 6.8 to 88.7 +/- 5.7 mmHg; p < 0.05). Neither drug interfered with heart rate or with the results of the deep breathing and Valsalva tests. The 30/15 ratio, an index of heart rate variability during the lying to standing test, significantly worsened after assumption of both captopril (from 1.37 +/- 0.18 to 1.21 +/- 0.14; p < 0.05) and lisinopril (from 1.31 +/- 0.17 to 1.20 +/- 0.11; p < 0.05). Although our subjects had a lisinopril-induced drop in blood pressure, their heart rate remained steady. This finding confirms previous studies reporting the lack of reflex tachycardia during ACE-inhibition. The slight effect of ACE-inhibitors on the results of deep breathing and Valsalva tests suggests that such drugs do not directly stimulate vagal activity; the significant decrease of the 30/15 ratio may be due to a functional impairment of the baroreflex mechanism.
authors.affiliation: Cattedra di Medicina Interna, Ospedale San Vito.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Quadri
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Papotti
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: La Grotta
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Maule
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zanone
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Valentini
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fonzo
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chiandussi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002216:Captopril / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002320:Cardiovascular Physiological Phenomena; D002319:Cardiovascular System / Q000187:drug effects*; D004151:Dipeptides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D017706:Lisinopril; D008297:Male; D012018:Reflex / Q000187:drug effects*; D012119:Respiration / Q000187:drug effects; D014630:Vagus Nerve / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D014636:Valsalva Maneuver
chemical_list: D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; D004151:Dipeptides; D002216:Captopril; D017706:Lisinopril
vernacular_title: ACE-inibitori e attività vagale: effetto di captopril e lisinopril su alcuni riflessi cardiovascolari.