[The use of capoten in the treatment of chronic cor pulmonale in elderly patients]. / Ispol'zovanie kapotena v lechenii khronicheskogo legochnaia serdtsa u bol'nykh starshego vozrasta.

Forty patients of elderly and senile ages with chronic obstructive bronchitis, complicated with degrees II-III respiratory insufficiency, and chronic cor pulmonale with stage IIA circulatory failure have been examined. The examination revealed impairment of the external respiration and tissue oxygen exchange, changes in the cardio- and hemodynamics the most typical of which was a significant rise of the diastolic volume of the left ventricle, activation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, and an increase of the extracellular volume of fluid. To explore the ways to correct these changes, nine patients were given a single dose of capoten, an inhibitor of the converting enzyme angiotensin (12.5 mg orally), after which a 20-day course was administered (12.5 mg three times daily). The agent proved to be highly effective, which suggested the expediency of its use in the complex management of old-age patients with decompensated cor pulmonale.