[Effect of captopril on pulmonary arterial hypertension in congestive heart failure associated with chronic obstructive bronchopneumopathy].

Acute hemodynamic effects of oral 25 mg of the angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor captopril were studied in 8 patients suffering from left ventricular failure and severe chronic obstructive lung disease (COLD) with pulmonary hypertension. In all the patients left ventricular failure resulted from a dilated cardiomyopathy. No significant change in right or left ventricular function and a decrease of 10% in arterial blood pressure and total systemic resistances were observed after administration of captopril. It is suggested that patients suffering from left ventricular failure and severe chronic obstructive lung disease will not benefit from administration of captopril.