CLINICAL STUDIES
The Angiotensin-converting Enzyme Inhibition Post Revascularization Study (APRES)
Lars Kjøller-Hansen, MDa,
Rolf Steffensen, MDa and
Peer Grande, MD, PhDa
a The Heart Center, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
Manuscript received March 17, 1999;
revised manuscript received October 15, 1999,
accepted November 19, 1999.
Reprint requests and correspondence: Dr. Lars Kjøller-Hansen, Heart Center 2142, Rigshospitalet, Blegdamsvej 9, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark kjol-h{at}dadlnet.dk
OBJECTIVE
This study was performed to assess the effect of treatment with ramipril on the incidence of cardiac events after invasive revascularization in patients with asymptomatic moderate left ventricular dysfunction.
BACKGROUND
In patients with angina pectoris and left ventricular dysfunction, both invasive revascularization and treatment with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors reduce cardiac mortality and morbidity. Whether there is a benefit from combining the two treatment strategies has never been evaluated prospectively.
METHODS
After invasive revascularization, 159 patients with preoperative chronic stable angina pectoris, left ventricular ejection fraction between 0.30 and 0.50 and no clinical heart failure were randomly assigned to receive double-blind treatment with either ramipril or placebo and subsequently followed for a median of 33 months.
RESULTS
Ramipril reduced the incidence of the triple-composite end point of cardiac death, acute myocardial infarction or clinical heart failure (risk reduction 58%; 95% confidence interval 7% to 80%, p = 0.031). The incidence of the quadruple-composite end point of cardiac death, acute myocardial infarction, clinical heart failure or recurrent angina pectoris was not altered with ramipril. These findings were consistent across subgroups with respect to left ventricular ejection fraction below or above 0.40, and whether coronary artery bypass grafting or percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty was performed.
CONCLUSIONS
In patients with angina pectoris and asymptomatic moderate left ventricular dysfunction, long-term treatment with ramipril after invasive revascularization significantly reduced the incidence of the composite end point of cardiac death, acute myocardial infarction or clinical heart failure, indicating that the beneficial effects of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor treatment may be extended to include treatment of this patient group.
|
Abbreviations and Acronyms
| | 4S | = Scandinavian Simvastatin Survival Study | | ACE-I | = angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor | | AMI | = acute myocardial infarction | | APRES | = Angiotensin-converting Enzyme Inhibition Postrevascularization Study | | CABG | = coronary artery bypass grafting | | CASS | = coronary artery surgery study | | LVEF | = left ventricular ejection fraction | | NNT | = numbers needed to treat | | PTCA | = percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty |
|
This article has been cited by other articles:

|
 |

|
 |
 
H. L. Lazar
All Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery Patients Will Benefit From Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors
Circulation,
January 1, 2008;
117(1):
6 - 8.
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
H. L. Lazar, T. Keilani, C. A. Fitzgerald, O. M. Shapira, C. T. Hunter, R. J. Shemin, H. C. Marsh Jr, U. S. Ryan, and the TP10 Cardiac Surgery Study Group
Beneficial Effects of Complement Inhibition With Soluble Complement Receptor 1 (TP10) During Cardiac Surgery: Is There a Gender Difference?
Circulation,
September 11, 2007;
116(11_suppl):
I-83 - I-88.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
S. A. Saha, J. Molnar, and R. R. Arora
Tissue ACE Inhibitors for Secondary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease in Patients With Preserved Left Ventricular Function: A Pooled Meta-analysis of Randomized Placebo-controlled Trials
Journal of Cardiovascular Pharmacology and Therapeutics,
September 1, 2007;
12(3):
192 - 204.
[Abstract]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
A. Goyal, J. H. Alexander, G. E. Hafley, S. H. Graham, R. H. Mehta, M. J. Mack, R. K. Wolf, L. H. Cohn, N. T. Kouchoukos, R. A. Harrington, et al.
Outcomes Associated With the Use of Secondary Prevention Medications After Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery
Ann. Thorac. Surg.,
March 1, 2007;
83(3):
993 - 1001.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
N. Danchin, M. Cucherat, C. Thuillez, E. Durand, Z. Kadri, and P. G. Steg
Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors in Patients With Coronary Artery Disease and Absence of Heart Failure or Left Ventricular Systolic Dysfunction: An Overview of Long-term Randomized Controlled Trials.
Arch Intern Med,
April 10, 2006;
166(7):
787 - 796.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
W. A. Jaber, R. J. Lennon, V. Mathew, D. R. Holmes Jr, A. Lerman, and C. S. Rihal
Application of Evidence-Based Medical Therapy Is Associated With Improved Outcomes After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention and Is a Valid Quality Indicator
J. Am. Coll. Cardiol.,
October 18, 2005;
46(8):
1473 - 1478.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
D. S. Jacoby and D. J. Rader
Renin-Angiotensin System and Atherothrombotic Disease: From Genes to Treatment
Arch Intern Med,
May 26, 2003;
163(10):
1155 - 1164.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
H. L. Lazar, Y. Bao, S. Rivers, and S. A. Bernard
Pretreatment with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors attenuates ischemia-reperfusion injury
Ann. Thorac. Surg.,
May 1, 2002;
73(5):
1522 - 1527.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
A. C. Schoolwerth, D. A. Sica, B. J. Ballermann, and C. S. Wilcox
Renal Considerations in Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibitor Therapy: A Statement for Healthcare Professionals From the Council on the Kidney in Cardiovascular Disease and the Council for High Blood Pressure Research of the American Heart Association
Circulation,
October 16, 2001;
104(16):
1985 - 1991.
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
L. Kjoller-Hansen, R. Steffensen, and P. Grande
Beneficial effects of ramipril on left ventricular end-diastolic and end-systolic volume indexes after uncomplicated invasive revascularization are associated with a reduction in cardiac events in patients with moderately impaired left ventricular function and no clinical heart failure
J. Am. Coll. Cardiol.,
April 1, 2001;
37(5):
1214 - 1220.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
C. Olsson
Postoperative drug therapy and survival after coronary artery bypass grafting.
Ann. Thorac. Surg.,
March 1, 2001;
71(3):
1068 - 1069.
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
J. H. O'Keefe, M. Wetzel, R. R. Moe, K. Brosnahan, and C. J. Lavie
Should an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor be standard therapy for patients with atherosclerotic disease?
J. Am. Coll. Cardiol.,
January 1, 2001;
37(1):
1 - 8.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|
|