General well-being during treatment with different ACE-inhibitors: two double-blind placebo-controlled cross-over studies in healthy volunteers.

Two randomised, double-blind, cross-over studies in healthy volunteers given captopril 50 mg b.d. (n = 37; Study I) or enalapril 20 mg o.d. (n = 40; Study 2) and placebo for 2 weeks have been done to examine general well-being. Subjective experiences were evaluated using the standardised, Minor Symptoms Evaluation-profile (MSEP), which was completed during Run-in and on Days 1, 4, 7 and 14 in the morning. In comparison to placebo and the Run-in period, neither captopril nor enalapril affected the MSEP dimensions of Vitality, Contentment and Sleep. Captopril treatment was also assessed by applying the Quality of Life Clinical Questionnaire during Run-in and on Days 7 and 14. No improvement in the quality of life was demonstrated during treatment in comparison with the placebo or the Run-in period. Thus, no mood elevating effect of the ACE-inhibitors captopril and enalapril was demonstrated in healthy volunteers. Cough, which is believed to be a common adverse effect of ACE-inhibitors, was no more frequent during the treatment with captopril or enalapril than with placebo. It is concluded, that short-term treatment with captopril or enalapril is not perceived differently by healthy volunteers than placebo or no treatment at all. Furthermore, the cough associated with ACE-inhibition may be dependent on the duration of treatment, and two weeks was apparently too short for it to emerge.