This study examined the effects of lisinopril on diastolic function in 12 normotensive patients (mean age 72 years) with symptomatic congestive heart failure, intact left ventricular systolic function and abnormal diastolic function secondary to ischaemic heart disease in a placebo-controlled double blind crossover study, with each treatment dosed orally for 5 continuous weeks. Compared to placebo, lisinopril significantly decreased blood pressure, increased plasma renin activity without altering heart rate or plasma norepinephrine. There was no statistically significant improvement with lisinopril in radionuclide derived peak filling rate and time to peak filling rate, in Doppler echocardiographic measurements of the ratio of peak flow velocity in early diastole to the peak flow velocity of atrial contraction (E:A ratio) and in visual analogue scales of symptoms. Thus, although angiotension converting enzyme inhibitors may have an established role in the treatment of heart failure secondary to left ventricular systolic dysfunction, its use in patients with isolated diastolic dysfunction remains unclear.
Renal clearance of lithium has been used as a marker of proximal tubular function in man. Recently, lithium pre-treatment has been shown to interfere with the natriuretic actions of some natriuretic agents in man. We have therefore investigated the effects of oral lithium carbonate (500 mg) on the natriuretic response to a pressor dose of tyramine (15 ,ug kg-' min-') in six normal volunteers. Lithium had no effect on baseline sodium excretion, nor did it affect the tyramine-induced increase in blood pressure and subsequent natriuresis. These results show that oral lithium carbonate (500 mg) does not appear to interfere with the pressure natriuretic response to tyramine in man.
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