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Hepatogastroenterology. 2000 May-Jun;47(33):795-806.
Effects of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and sclerotherapy on portal hemodynamics in patients with portal hypertension.

Nasr AA, el-Hak NG, Settein ME, Khafagy MA, Tadros MT.

Internal Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Egypt.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Since pharmacotherapy of portal hypertension has always been a subject of wide interest, we decided to study the effects of different angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and endoscopic sclerotherapy on portal hemodynamics in patients with portal hypertension and bleeding esophageal varices. METHODOLOGY: The study included 72 patients with portal hypertension divided into 6 equal groups. Endoscopic sclerotherapy was done to all patients every 2 weeks for 3 months. In addition, the first 5 groups of patients were maintained on angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors for 3 months as follows: group I on perindopril, II on ramipril, III on fosinopril, IV on lisinopril and V on captopril. Portal hemodynamics were determined before and after therapy (using an ultrasonic duplex system). New Doppler portal indices were derived and portal vein kinetic pressure was estimated for the first time by using data derived from the ultrasonic duplex system. RESULTS: 1) Short-term endoscopic sclerotherapy alone resulted in significant elevation of portal vein kinetic pressure, wall stress index and flow volume (P < 0.01) and non-significant increase in the total portal circulation resistance index (P > 0.05) and significantly decreased portal vein compliance and distensibility indices (P < 0.05); 2) Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors reduced the maximum and average portal velocities, the portal flow volume, total portal circulation resistance index and increased portal vein compliance and distensibility indices, hence they reduced the portal vein kinetic pressure significantly in group IV (P < 0.05 for the flow volume and P < 0.01 for other indices); 3) The only side effect encountered was allergic cough (in 8.33% of patients). No effects were noticed on the pulse, systolic, diastolic or mean blood pressures or Child-Pugh Score of liver disease. CONCLUSIONS: 1) Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors when added to endoscopic sclerotherapy can ameliorate the effects of the latter on portal hemodynamics in patients with portal hypertension; 2) Portal vein kinetic pressure, total portal circulation resistance index, portal vein wall stress index, compliance and distensibility indices are new Doppler portal indices that proved to be of value in the follow-up of patients with portal hypertension under sclerotherapy alone or in conjunction with pharmacotherapy; 3) Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors are safe drugs that can be used for portal decompression with endoscopic sclerotherapy. Their use as sole portal anti-hypertensive agents still awaits further studies.

online pharmacy ref source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=10919035&dopt=Abstract

leeds.ac.uk

A novel human zinc metalloprotease that has considerable homology to human angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) (40% identity and 61% similarity) has been identified. This metalloprotease (angiotensin-converting enzyme homolog (ACEH)) contains a single HEXXH zinc-binding domain and conserves other critical residues typical of the ACE family. The predicted protein sequence consists of 805 amino acids, including a potential 17-amino acid N-terminal signal peptide sequence and a putative C-terminal membrane anchor. Expression in Chinese hamster ovary cells of a soluble, truncated form of ACEH, lacking the transmembrane and cytosolic domains, produces a glycoprotein of 120 kDa, which is able to cleave angiotensin I and angiotensin II but not bradykinin or Hip-His-Leu. In the hydrolysis of the angiotensins, ACEH functions exclusively as a carboxypeptidase. ACEH activity is inhibited by EDTA but not by classical ACE inhibitors such as captopril, lisinopril, or enalaprilat. Identification of the genomic sequence of ACEH has shown that the ACEH gene contains 18 exons, of which several have considerable size similarity with the first 17 exons of human ACE. The gene maps to chromosomal location Xp22. Northern blotting analysis has shown that the ACEH mRNA transcript is approximately 3. 4 kilobase pairs and is most highly expressed in testis, kidney, and heart. This is the first report of a mammalian homolog of ACE and has implications for our understanding of cardiovascular and renal function.

online pharmacy ref source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=10924499&dopt=Abstract

vanderbilt.edu

To investigate the possible physiological significance of dietary cardiac glycosides in blood pressure regulation, the blood pressure of normal Sprague Dawley rats raised on a regular diet, which naturally contains large amounts of Na+-pump inhibitors, was compared with that of rats on a purified synthetic diet, which contains no Na+-pump specific inhibitors, and with that of rats on a synthetic diet supplemented with 10 microg x mL(-1) ouabain or 10 microg x mL- convallatoxin in the drinking water. After 6 weeks on the synthetic diet, the systolic blood pressure in the synthetic diet group was significantly elevated (145 +/- 5 vs. 128 +/- 4 mmHg, P < 0.05). At 10 weeks it reached a plateau (154 +/- 3 vs. 122 +/- 3 mmHg, P < 0.05). Plasma renin activity and Na+ level were significantly higher in animals fed synthetic diets than in the regular diet group (P < 0.01). Administration of either losartan or lisinopril or a switch to a low salt synthetic diet (0.03% sodium) normalized the synthetic diet-induced high blood pressure. Supplementation of the synthetic diet with the cardiac glycosides delayed the onset of the increase in blood pressure for 4 weeks. Plasma aldosterone levels were approximately doubled in the cardiac glycoside-treated groups. Higher plasma Na+ levels and hematocrit values present in the synthetic diet group were normalized by the glycoside supplements. These results suggest that supplemental dietary cardiac glycosides exert bidirectional effects on blood pressure regulation through actions that modulate extracellular fluid and electrolyte balance.

online pharmacy ref source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=10926161&dopt=Abstract













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