Relation between use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and muscle strength and physical function in older women: an observational study.
BACKGROUND
Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors prevent decline in physical function in patients with congestive heart failure (CHF). We aimed to see whether ACE inhibitors also prevent reduction in physical performance and in muscle strength in older women who do not have CHF.


METHODS
We assessed 3-year rates of decline in both knee extensor muscle strength and walking speed in 641 women with hypertension who had participated in the Women's Health and Aging Study. Women were stratified into four groups according to type and duration of antihypertensive drug treatment. 61 had used ACE inhibitors continuously, 133 intermittently, 146 never, and 301 had used other hypertensive drugs either continuously or intermittently.


RESULTS
Participants who had taken ACE inhibitors continuously had a lower mean 3-year decline in muscle strength of -1.0 kg (SE 1.1) compared with -3.7 (0.5) kg in continuous/intermittent users of other antihypertensive drugs (p=0.016) and with -3.9 kg in those who had never used antihypertensives (p=0.026). Muscle strength fell by 3.0 kg in 3 years in both continuous and intermittent users of ACE inhibitors (p=0.096). Mean 3-year decline in walking speed in continuous ACE inhibitor users was -1.7 cm/s compared with -13.6 cm/s in intermittent users of ACE inhibitors (p=0.015), -15.7 cm/s in continuous/intermittent users of other antihypertensive drugs (p=0.002), and -17.9 cm/s in never users of antihypertensive drugs (p=0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
ACE inhibitor treatment may halt or slow decline in muscle strength in elderly women with hypertension and without CHF.
Onder
Graziano
G
Sticht Center on Aging, Section on Gerontology and Geriatrics, Department of Internal Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston Salem, NC 27157, USA. gonder@wfubmc.edu
Penninx
Brenda W J H
BW
Balkrishnan
Rajesh
R
Fried
Linda P
LP
Chaves
Paulo H M
PH
Williamson
Jeff
J
Carter
Christy
C
Di Bari
Mauro
M
Guralnik
Jack M
JM
Pahor
Marco
M
D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy*; D009132:Muscles / Q000187:drug effects*; D010809:Physical Fitness; D016138:Walking
D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors