Article Text
Research Article
Effects of captopril in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and secondary pulmonary hypertension.
Abstract
Ten patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) with normal left ventricular function were given a single dose of captopril (0.25 mg/kg). Mean systemic arterial pressure, heart rate and coronary flow to the right ventricle were reduced significantly after captopril. In contrast captopril did not cause a significant fall in pulmonary arterial pressure or pulmonary vascular resistance. We conclude that captopril fails to produce haemodynamic benefits in such hypoxic patients and that angiotensin II is not playing a significant role in maintaining pulmonary vasoconstriction.