ACE inhibitors and calcium antagonists in the treatment of congestive heart failure.

The increased mortality after myocardial infarction is related to the risk of reinfarction, sudden death, and the development and progression of heart failure; in congestive heart failure it is due to the progression of heart failure and sudden death. ACE inhibitors have been proven to prevent cardiovascular events, especially the progression of heart failure, in postinfarct patients with reduced ejection fraction and heart failure in the SAVE and AIRE trials. In patients with congestive heart failure, ACE inhibitor treatment has prevented cardiovascular death and reduced morbidity due to progressive heart failure in the SOLVD trials. In post-myocardial infarction patients, the calcium antagonist nifedipine did not affect mortality or morbidity; diltiazem improved prognosis in patients without congestive heart failure and in patients with non-Q-wave infarction; and verapamil improved prognosis by prevention of reinfarction and sudden death. Combination treatment with both verapamil, which has pronounced antiischemic properties and prevents sudden death and reinfarction, and an ACE inhibitor, which prevents the progression of heart failure, is a possibility for future cardiovascular therapy that should be evaluated.