title: [Rapid decrease of serum endothelin-1 levels after treatment with ACE inhibitors in chronic cardiac failure].
abstract: Circulating endothelin-1, a very strong peptide vasoconstrictor first discovered in 1988, is raised in cardiac failure. This increase contributes to the deleterious effects of cardiac failure. Although specific anti-endothelin drugs are under development in this condition, the effects of more commonly used drugs on circulating endothelin-1 levels are not well known. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of ACE inhibitor therapy on plasma endothelin-1 levels in cardiac failure. The plasma endothelin-1 levels were measured in 24 patients (stages III and IV of the NYHA classification), before and after treatment with angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor (Captopril: test doses, then 75 mg/day). A control group of 10 paired patients was used to shake off the effects of bed rest and hospital salt-free diet. The initial endothelin-1 levels were high but equivalent in the control and study groups: 9.13 +/- 1.87 fmol/mL vs 8.98 +/- 1.92 fmol/mL. Plasma endothelin-1 decreased significantly in the study group 72 hours after beginning ACE inhibitor therapy (7.44 +/- 1.95, p < 0.02) but remained higher than normal (p < 0.01), whereas the values in the control group remained the same. This study demonstrates a decreases in plasma endothelin-1 levels 72 hours after onset of ACE inhibitor therapy in patients with stable severe cardiac failure. This results, already suggested by many experimental studies and certain ancillary clinical trials, could explain some of the beneficial effects of ACE inhibitors in this condition.
authors.affiliation: Service de cardiologie, hôpital Pasteur, Nice.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ferrari
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Drai
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jambou
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Talbodec
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Morand
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Baudouy
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors