The Effects of Captopril on Pulmonary and Systemic Arterial Pressures and Lipoprotein Metabolism in High-Altitude Pulmonary Hypertension

The purpose of investigation was to assess the effect of captopril on both systemic and pulmonary arterial pressures (PAP) and lipoprotein metabolism in patients with high-altitude pulmonary hypertension (HAPH). Seventeen patients (mean age 44 ± 6.8 years) with HAPH and mild-moderate systemic arterial hypertension were included into the study. All the patients underwent right heart catheterization with measurements of systolic PAP (PAPs), mean PAP (PAPm), diastolic PAP (PAPd). After 4 weeks placebo phase patients with PAPs>25 mm Hg, PAPm>15 mm Hg and systemic diastolic blood pressure (DBP)> 100 mmHg received captopril (50-75 mg at 8 am) for a period of 12 weeks. Following both the placebo and at the 12-week treatment periods, at 8 am and after 12 hours fasting, blood samples were obtained for analysis of total cholesterol, triglycerides, apolipoprotein A1, apolipoprotein B. Patients with preexisting hypercholesterolemia (>250 mg/dl) and/or triglyceridemia (•200 mm/dl) were excluded from the analysis. The statistical evaluation of the results were made using the Student's t tests. It was found that captopril significantly decreases pulmonary and systemic arterial hypertensions without any side effects on lipoprotein metabolism.