Captopril prevents ventricular hypertrophy in sinoaortic denervated rats.

We had previously reported that sinoaortic denervation induces cardiac ventricular hypertrophy in rats. The objective of the present study was to determine whether this cardiac hypertrophy can be prevented by inhibition of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) with captopril, 20 mg/kg, administered sc twice daily for 15 days. The left ventricular weight/body weight ratio significantly increased (12%) in sinoaortic denervated (SAD) rats 15 days after surgery when compared with the sham-operated group (SO). Administration of captopril to SAD rats prevented this ventricular hypertrophy and decreased but did not completely abolish their high arterial pressure. No changes in the normal pattern of baroreceptor reflex activity were observed in the captopril-pretreated SAD or SO groups. These data suggest the participation of the angiotensin system in the development of cardiac hypertrophy in SAD rats.