Endothelium-dependent vasodilation is augmented by angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors in healthy volunteers.

We have examined the effects of local intra-arterial infusion of enalaprilat (an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor) on responses initiated by concomitantly infused acetylcholine (an endothelium-dependent vasodilator) and sodium nitroprusside (a direct dilator of smooth muscle) in the forearm arterial beds of healthy volunteers. Although the angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor alone did not affect basal forearm blood flow or vascular resistance, it significantly augmented the increase in blood flow and reduction in vascular resistance induced by acetylcholine (both p < 0.05). Coinfusion of enalaprilat did not enhance sodium nitroprusside-induced vasodilation. Pretreatment with NG-monomethyl-L-arginine blocked the augmentation of blood flow induced by the angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor. The effect of enalaprilat was still observed after the administration of acetylsalicylic acid (p < 0.05). These results suggest that angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors potentiate nonprostanoid endothelium-derived relaxing factor in normal human forearm vasculature.