To determine whether the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor fosinopril can favorably alter cardiac function in non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus NIDDM) patients who have either normal blood pressure (BP) or mild, untreated hypertension.
Fifty-five NIDDM subjects with normal BP or mild, untreated hypertension were randomized to treatment with the ACE-inhibitor fosinopril or placebo for 6 months in a randomized, double-blind trial to determine the effect of fosinopril on echocardiographic measurements.
Left ventricular mass index (LVMI) fell by 6.5 ± 4.7% (mean ± SD) with fosinopril and increased by 8.6 ± 3.5% during placebo treatment (P < 0.02), and isovolumic relaxation time improved significantly in those with elevated baseline levels (P = 0.02). Systolic BP fell significantly, but this did not correlate with the change in LVMI, suggesting a possible direct action of fosinopril on the heart.
Fosinopril appears to have significant cardiac benefits in patients with NIDDM who have normal or mildly elevated BP. These benefits are achieved without adversely affecting renal status and without impairing metabolic control of diabetes.
