Regional hemodynamic effects of perindopril in congestive heart failure.

The onset of heart failure is associated with complex neurohumoral, cardiac, and vascular changes. These disorders partly explain that, in this situation, regional distribution of blood flows is hardly modified with stability or increase in heart and brain flows and impairement of limb, renal, and splanchnic blood flows. Using the bidimensional Doppler technique to measure brachial blood flow and diameter and standard clearance techniques to determine renal and hepatic blood flows, we studied the effects of perindopril, a long-lasting angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor, on regional hemodynamics. We demonstrated that perindopril produces a very marked increase in forearm and kidney flows but a very minor increase in the hepatosplanchnic territory, resulting in a regional distribution of cardiac output that favors the renal and musculocutaneous territories. This mechanism of action might be an important contribution to clinical improvement observed with perindopril.