The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of
cilazapril on exercise tolerance and the
hormone kinetics of
catecholamines, the reninangiotensin-
aldosterone system and
alpha-atrial natriuretic peptide (
ANP) in patients in the chronic phase of acute
myocardial infarction (AMI). The subjects consisted of 19 cases of AMI. Cardiopulmonary exercise testing was performed 1 month after the onset of AMI, and patients were randomly assigned to either a group treated with 1 mg/day of
cilazapril (9 cases) and or an untreated group (10 cases). After the completion of 2 months of exercise training at the anaerobic threshold (AT), blood samples were taken during a cardiopulmonary exercise test and various
hormones were measured. In comparing the parameters of exercise tolerance before and after the completion of exercise training there were no significant differences between the 2 groups with respect to
oxygen uptake,
oxygen pulse, or exercise time at AT or at peak exercise. With regard to temporal changes in exercise tolerance,
oxygen uptake,
oxygen pulse and exercise time all tended to increase in both groups. With regard to
hormone kinetics, the
alpha-ANP concentration at peak exercise was significantly lower, and the
noradrenaline secretions also tended to be lower, in the
cilazapril-treated group, even though the peak exercise time was similar in both groups. These results may be support the hypothesis that
cilazapril mitigates the left ventricular load during
exercise therapy in patients in the chronic phase of AMI.