The Studies of
Left Ventricular Dysfunction (SOLVD) examined the effect of an
angiotensin-converting enzyme (
ACE) inhibitor,
enalapril on mortality and hospitalization in 6,797 patients with low ejection fraction (EF < 0.35). Patients requiring treatment for
heart failure were entered to the treatment trial (n = 2,569) while those patients not receiving pharmacological treatment for
heart failure were entered in the prevention trial (n = 4,228). In the treatment trial, there was a 16% (95% confidence interval [CI], 5% to 26%) reduction in mortality with the largest reduction in deaths due to progressive
heart failure (22%, 95% CI, 6 to 35%). There was also a 26% (95% CI, 18 to 34%) reduction in mortality or hospitalization for worsening
heart failure. In the prevention trial there was an 8% (95% CI, -8 to 21%) reduction in mortality, 12% (95% CI, -3 to 26%) reduction in cardiovascular mortality, and a 29% (95% CI, 21 to 36%) reduction in mortality or development of
heart failure. In addition, there was a 20% (95% CI, 9 to 30%) reduction in mortality or hospitalization for
heart failure. There were consistent effects among subgroups defined by baseline serum
sodium,
vasodilator use, etiology and NYHA functional class. The effect of
enalapril on mortality and hospitalization for
heart failure was significantly greater for patients with the lowest ejection fraction. In both trials, there were highly significant reductions in
myocardial infarction (23%, 95% CI, 11 to 34%) and hospitalizations for
unstable angina (20%, 95% CI, 9 to 29%).