Early treatment withcaptopril after acute myocardial infarction

Objectives-To determine theeffects of early treatment withcaptopril onhaemodynamicfunction, neuroendocrine biochemistry, leftventricular structure, clinical outcome,andexercise capacity overoneyearfromacutemyocardial infarction. Design-Randomised,blind, placebo controlled comparison ofcaptopril andplacebo. Setting-Coronary careunitsandcardiology departments oftwouniversity teaching hospitals inGlasgow. Patients-99 haemodynamicaly stable patients withacutemyocardial infarction, selected onclinical grounds asbeing atriskoflate ventricular dilatation. Intervention-Captopril or identical placebo started betweensixand24hours after startofsymptomsandcontinued for12months.Target maintenance dose was25mg three timesaday. Main outcomemeasures-(a) Acute haemodynamic effects oftreatment; (b) neuroendocrine biochemistryfrom admission totwomonths; and(c)change inechocardiographic