Enalapril Improves Arterial Elastic Properties in Rats with Myocardial Infarction

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Abstract
Systemic arterial elastic properties, important determinants of left ventricular function and coronary blood flow, are compromised in myocardial infarction (MI). The cardiac effect of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) has been extensively studied, whereas their arterial effect has been poorly reported in MI. The aim of this work was to study the effect of prolonged ACEI enalapril treatment on systemic arterial structure and elastic properties in rats with MI. One week after the induction of an MI, 40 male Wistar rats received either no treatment (n = 20) or ACEI enalapril (2 mg/kg; n = 20) for 17 weeks. At the end of the treatment period, blood pressure, cardiac output, total peripheral resistance, systemic arterial compliance, characteristic impedance, and left ventricular power were measured in anesthetized rats. Then the rats were killed for infarct-size determination and aortic histomorphometric study. Infarct size, heart, and left and right ventricular weights were similar in the ACEI-treated and untreated infarcted rats. Prolonged ACEI enalapril treatment reduced blood pressure by 17% (p

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