Enalapril and losartan reduced cardiac mass and improved coronary hemodynamics in SHR.

Among the multiple mechanisms postulated for the increased risk of hypertensive left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), coronary hemodynamic alterations remain a strong possibility. This study was designed to compare the effects of treatment with an ACE inhibitor (enalapril) and an angiotensin AT1 receptor antagonist (losartan) on systemic and coronary hemodynamics and to determine whether the combination of these two renin-angiotensin system (RAS) inhibitor would be as or more effective in reducing mean arterial pressure (MAP), left ventricular (LV) mass, and improving coronary hemodynamics than either regimen alone. Thus, 23 week old spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) were treated (12 weeks) with tap water (C), enalapril (30 mg.kg-1.d-1), losartan (30 mg.kg-1.d-1), or their combination (15 mg.kg-1.d-1). Age-matched Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats served as normotensive controls. After 12 weeks, systemic and coronary hemodynamics were determined (15 microns radiolabeled microspheres) at baseline, during maximal treadmill exercise, and during maximal dilation (dipyridamole). Enalapril and losartan equally reduced MAP and LV mass in association with a decreased total peripheral resistance. The RAS combination reduced MAP and LV mass more than either drug alone. Resting cardiac index and coronary blood flow (CBF) per unit of LV mass did not differ among the groups. Although enalapril did not improve coronary flow reserve (CFR), it diminished minimal coronary vascular resistance (MCVR); losartan improved both. However, the combination was more effective than either agent alone, reaching values close to normotensive WKY controls. In conclusion, these data demonstrated significantly impaired maximal CBF, CFR, and MCVR in untreated SHR, but losartan alone and in combination with enalapril improved systemic and coronary hemodynamics more than enalapril alone.