Long-term effects of converting enzyme inhibitors on split renal function in renovascular hypertension.

Long-term effects of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors on split renal function were studied using a noninvasive radioisotopic method in five patients with renovascular hypertension. In the stenotic side the glomerular filtration rate which acutely decreased following captopril, tended to return toward pretreatment levels on prolonged captopril administration (up to 2 years), while the value remained unchanged in the nonstenotic side of the kidney. Effective renal plasma flow increased in both sides. During long-term captopril treatment, there were no significant changes in serum creatinine, sodium, potassium, and blood pressure control was maintained at the same level in an acute period. These results suggest that the glomerular filtration in the stenotic kidney of renovascular hypertension, which was acutely reduced, will not further deteriorate, but will increase after prolonged captopril treatment.