Cardiovascular drugs in children: angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors.

Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors are potent vasodilators acting by inhibition of production of the vasoconstrictor angiotensin II. In adults, they are used for treatment of systemic hypertension and congestive heart failure and investigated for treatment of primary pulmonary hypertension. In infants and children, saralasin and captopril were found to be useful in treatment of systemic arterial hypertension, especially when associated with high plasma renin activity. Captopril has failed in the treatment of congestive heart failure associated with complex congenital heart diseases and in most cases of primary pulmonary hypertension. It has a clear beneficial effect in coarctation of the aorta and may have such an effect in endomyocardial diseases and ventricular septal defect. In adults, serious side effects have limited the use of captopril. New converting enzyme inhibitors, devoid of a sulfhydryl group, are expected to have a better safety profile.