title: Captopril in heart failure secondary to a left to right shunt.
abstract: Captopril was used in 20 infants aged less than 1 year with heart failure secondary to defects with predominantly a left to right shunt that was poorly controlled with digoxin and diuretics. Total daily dose of captopril ranged from 0.88 to 2.5 mg/kg (mean 1.3 mg/kg) in three divided doses. Improvement in the control of heart failure was seen mainly as an increase in the rate of weight gain from a mean of 48 g/week before treatment to 102 g/week on treatment and a decrease in the mean respiratory rate from 68 breaths/minute to 60 breaths/minute. Side effects were seen in four patients--two with asymptomatic mild hypotension, one with renal insufficiency which improved with a reduction in dose, and one with severe oliguria progressing to renal failure. Significant changes in plasma electrolyte concentration did not occur except in the infant who developed acute renal failure.
authors.affiliation: Regional Paediatric Cardiology Unit, Killingbeck Hospital, Leeds.
authors.forename: N J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Shaw
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: D F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Dickinson
mesh_terms: D002216:Captopril / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D006345:Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D002216:Captopril