Captopril and hypertension development in the SHR.

Captopril (100mg/kg) administered daily by gavage to young spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) from their 6th to 20th weeks of age almost completely inhibited genetic hypertension development (GHD). This effect was correlated with an early and long-lasting limitation of the progressive increase in peripheral resistance which normally develops in SHRs during their growth. Heart rate, cardiac and systolic indexes remained unchanged, plasma renin concentration was significantly increased and heart weight/body weight ratio was significantly decreased. At last, captopril's GHD preventive effect persisted up to 12 weeks after treatment discontinuation.