REVIEW ARTICLE
Should an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor be standard therapy for patients with atherosclerotic disease?
James H. O’Keefe, MD*,
Mark Wetzel, MD*,
Richard R. Moe, MD, PhD*,
Kathleen Brosnahan, PharmD* and
Carl J. Lavie, MD
* Mid America Heart Institute, St. Luke’s Hospital, Kansas City, Missouri, USA
Ochsner Heart and Vascular Institute, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
Manuscript received May 8, 2000;
revised manuscript received August 10, 2000,
accepted September 14, 2000.
Reprint requests and correspondence: Dr. James H. O’Keefe, Cardiovascular Consultants, P.C., 4330 Wornall Road, Suite 2000, Kansas City, Missouri 64111
jglen{at}cc-pc.com
Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors appear to possess unique cardioprotective benefits, even when used in patients without high blood pressure or left ventricular dysfunction (the traditional indications for ACE inhibitor therapy). The ACE inhibitors improve endothelial function and regress both left ventricular hypertrophy and arterial mass better than other antihypertensive agents that lower blood pressure equally as well. These agents promote collateral vessel development and improve prognosis in patients who have had a coronary revascularization procedure (i.e., percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty and coronary artery bypass graft surgery). Insulin resistance, present not only in type 2 diabetes but also commonly in patients with hypertension or coronary artery disease, or both, sensitizes the vasculature to the trophic effects of angiotensin II and aldosterone. This may partly explain the improvement in prognosis noted when patients who have atherosclerosis or diabetes are treated with an ACE inhibitor. Therapy with ACE inhibitors has also been shown, in two large, randomized trials, to reduce the incidence of new-onset type 2 diabetes through largely unknown mechanisms. The ACE inhibitors are safe, well tolerated and affordable medications. The data suggest that most people with atherosclerosis should be considered candidates for ACE inhibitor therapy, unless they are intolerant to the medication, or have systolic blood pressures consistently <100 mm Hg. Patients who show evidence of insulin resistance (with or without overt type 2 diabetes) should also be considered as candidates for prophylactic ACE inhibitor therapy. Although angiotensin receptor blockers should not be considered equivalent to ACE inhibitors for this indication, they may be a reasonable alternative for patients intolerant of ACE inhibitors.
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Abbreviations and Acronyms
| | ACE | = angiotensin-converting enzyme | | APRES | = Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition Post REvascularization Study | | ARB | = angiotensin receptor blocker | | BP | = blood pressure | | CAD | = coronary artery disease | | CHF | = congestive heart failure | | HOPE | = Heart Outcomes Prevention Evaluation study | | LV | = left ventricular, left ventricle | | LVEF | = left ventricular ejection fraction | | LVH | = left ventricular hypertrophy | | MI | = myocardial infarction | | PAI-1 | = plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 | | t-PA | = tissue plasminogen activator |
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