Peripheral artery structure and endothelial function in heart failure: effect of ACE inhibition

Christian Thuillez. Peripheral artery structure and endo-thelial function in heart failure: effect of ACE inhibition. Am. J. Physiol. 271 (Heart Circ. Physiol. 40): H469-H477, 1996.-Chronic heart failure (CHF) induces peripheral vasoconstric-tion and impairs endothelium-dependent relaxation of large arteries. We investigated in a rat model of CHF (coronary artery ligation) 1) whether endothelial dysfunction also exists in resistance arteries, 2) whether this is associated with vascular morphological changes, and 3) the effect of angioten-sin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibition on these parameters. After 1 mo or 1 yr, CHF reduced the vasodilatory response to acetylcholine of isolated, perfused femoral and mesenteric artery segments. This impairment was more marked in femoral than in mesenteric arteries. However, CHF did not induce any arterial remodeling. Chronic treatment with the ACE inhibito