Open AccessBeneficial Effects of Captopril and Metoprolol Treatment in Idiopathic Dilated Cardiomyopathy
Author(s) -
Tomita Fumishi,
Kohya Tetsuro,
Kaji Tohru,
Tsuzuki Noriko,
Ono Tomohide,
Itoh Yoshinori,
Sasaki Motoi,
Kitabatake Akira
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
annals of noninvasive electrocardiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.494
H-Index - 48
eISSN - 1542-474X
pISSN - 1082-720X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1542-474x.1996.tb00295.x
Subject(s) - medicine , captopril , metoprolol , cardiology , heart failure , heart rate variability , autonomic nervous system , dilated cardiomyopathy , heart rate , ambulatory , blood pressure
Background: Abnormal autonomic nervous function (ANF), such as an enhanced sympathetic tone and an attenuated parasympathetic tone, have been shown in patients with congestive heart failure (CHF). Methods: We examined the effects of captopril and metoprolol on autonomic nervous function and ventricular arrhythmias in patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), using 24‐hour ambulatory electrocardiographic monitoring and power spectral analysis of heart rate variability. Twenty‐one patients (pts) with idiopathic DCM (54 ± 15 years [mean ± SDI) were allocated to three groups: a captopril group (8 pts); a metoprolol group (7 pts); and a control group (6 pts). Power spectra were quantified in high (HF) and low frequency power (LF), and natural logarithmic values of HF (In(HF) and LF/HF (In (LF(HF]) were used as indices of parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous activities, respectively. Results: In the captopril and the metoprolol groups, there was a significant increase in In(HF) (P < 0.05), a trend of decrease in ln(LF/HF), and an improvement of ventricular arrhythmia (VA). In contrast, no significant change was found in any of In(HF), In (LF/HF), and VA in the control group. Conclusion: We conclude that both captopril and metoprolol have beneficial effects on ANF and VA, and the restored autonomic balance and the improvement of VA correlate to each other.