Comparative effects of quinapril with enalapril in rats with heart failure.

The cardioprotective properties of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, quinapril and enalapril were studied in a rat model of heart failure. Seventy-five rats were divided into five groups and administered quinapril or enalapril at 2 and 20 mg/kg/day (groups Q2, Q20, E2 and E20) or vehicle alone (group V, all groups n = 15). Although both ACE inhibitors improved survival rate and ventricular function in a dose-dependent manner, the left ventricular end-diastolic pressure and expression level of transforming growth factor-beta1 mRNA were the lowest in group Q20. These results suggest that quinapril may confer greater protection than enalapril against injury from the renin-angiotensin system in heart failure. Copyright 2004 S. Karger AG, Basel