Long-term tolerability of benazepril in dogs with congestive heart failure.
OBJECTIVE
To test the tolerability of long-term administration of benazepril in dogs with congestive heart failure (CHF).


METHODS
The study was a prospective, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial. A total of 162 dogs with New York Heart Association (NYHA) class II-IV heart failure caused by chronic valvular disease (CVD) or dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) were enrolled. Benazepril (minimum dosage, 0.25 mg/kg) or placebo were administered orally once daily for up to 34 months. In this paper, we report results of plasma alanine aminotransferase (ALT), creatinine, potassium and urea.


RESULTS
The two groups were matched at baseline (p>/=0.18). Plasma creatinine concentrations were lower during treatment with benazepril versus placebo for all dogs (p=0.14) and every sub-group tested (NYHA II, III or IV; CVD; DCM; initial creatinine >124 mumol/L), although statistical significance was not reached (p=0.14-0.6). However, significantly (p=0.035) more cases of creatinine >124 mumol/L during treatment occurred with placebo (47%) as compared to benazepril (30%). Plasma ALT and urea values did not differ between groups for all dogs (p>0.5) or any sub-group (p=0.23-1.0). Plasma potassium values did not differ between groups for all dogs (p>0.5). Although differences approached statistical significance for potassium in some sub-groups (p=0.07-0.1), there were no consistent differences between groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Benazepril was well tolerated during long-term therapy in dogs with CHF and no specific precautions appear to be necessary regarding plasma ALT, creatinine, potassium or urea. The possible action of benazepril in improving renal function (evidenced via lower plasma creatinine) merits further investigation.
Pouchelon
Jean-Louis
JL
King
Jonathan
J
Martignoni
Laure
L
Chetboul
Valérie
V
Lugardon
Béatrice
B
Rousselot
Jean-François
JF
Corlouer
Jean-Philippe
JP
Bussadori
Claudio
C
Piette
Marie-Hélène
MH
Brownlie
Serena
S
Martel
Philippe
P
Garcin
Jean-Pierre
JP
Hagen
Andreas
A
Amberger
Christophe
C
Martin
Michael
M
Labadie
Fabrice
F
Collet
Michel
M
Drouard
Christine
C
Lombard
Christophe
C
Hervé
Daniel
D
Strehlau
Günther
G