Antiarrhythmic effects of the angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor perindoprilat in a pig model of acute regional myocardial ischemia.

Previous studies on the possible antiarrhythmic effects of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors during early ischemia in pigs have been inconclusive or negative; however, proof of adequate ACE inhibition was not provided. Perindoprilat, 0.06 mg/kg, i.v., was administered 30 min prior to ligation of the anterior descending coronary artery (CAL) in anesthetised openchest pigs. Plasma ACE activity was decreased by 95.0± 1.9% when measured 5 min before CAL. Within 5 min of CAL, the ventricular fibrillation threshold (VFT) in the control group was decreased from 11.8±1.9 to 7.2±1.2 mA (p<0.01)