Chronic high dose captopril decreases total heart rate variability and increases heart rate in C57BL/6J mice.

The effects of high dose captopril, within the therapeutic range, on autonomic activity are unknown in those with normal cardiovascular function. Thus the study aims were to assess the effects of high dose captopril on autonomic function in mice. Autonomic activity was measured using heart rate variability (HRV). ECG recordings were obtained from 18 Male C57BL/6J mice (20-25 g) subdivided into control (N=8) or mice receiving oral captopril (0.688 mg/ml captopril in the drinking water for 6 weeks, N=10). HRV results for linear and non-linear parameters were attenuated following chronic captopril for 6 weeks compared to control. Captopril was associated with a trend for an increase in average heart rate and approximate entropy (ApEn), a non-linear measure of HRV decreased significantly compared to control (p<0.05). In conclusion high dose captopril reduces total HRV and increases heart rate in normotensive mice with normal cardiac function.