BLOOD PRESSURE AND LIFESPAN FOLLOWING BRIEF ACE INHIBITOR TREATMENT IN YOUNG SPONTANEOUSLY HYPERTENSIVE RATS

Abstract

1. Brief treatment with angiotensin‐converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors in young spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) causes a reduction in blood pressure that persists into maturity. The lifetime effects of such treatment have not been studied. 2. Nineteen male SHR were treated with either water (n= 9) or perindopril (3 mg/ kg per day) (n = 10) by daily gavage between 6 and 10 weeks of age and systolic blood pressure and bodyweight were measured each month until all animals died in old age. 3. Following treatment the systolic blood pressure of SHR treated with perindopril remained consistently lower than control SHR until about 82 weeks of age. After this age the blood pressure of control S..