Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0151744 (myocardial ischemia)
 31,282 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Following systemic absorption, quinapril is converted by de-esterification to quinaprilat (the active diacid metabolite), an inhibitor of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE). Pharmacodynamic studies in animals indicate inhibition of ACE both in plasma and at tissue sites, such as the arterial wall and heart, following administration of quinapril. Tissue ACE inhibition may be an important component of the mechanism of action of quinapril (and other ACE inhibitors) in achieving favourable effects in cardiovascular disorders. Quinaprilat has a short elimination half-life (approximately 2 hours), but binds potently to and dissociates slowly from ACE, thus allowing once or twice daily administration of quinapril in the treatment of patients with hypertension or congestive heart failure. Quinapril 10 to 40 mg/day has achieved adequate control of blood pressure in most patients with essential hypertension in clinical trials. Some patients required quinapril dosages up to 80 mg/day and/or concomitant diuretic therapy. Titrating quinapril dosages from 10 to 40 mg/day increased response rates without increasing the incidence or severity of adverse events. Addition of hydrochlorothiazide to quinapril therapy improved response rates by approximately 10 to 20% in patients with hypertension. In general, blood pressure control with quinapril monotherapy was similar to that achieved with enalapril or other standard antihypertensive agents in comparative trials. Quinapril < or = 40 mg/day improved exercise tolerance, reduced the severity and frequency of symptoms, and improved functional (New York Heart Association) class in most clinical studies of patients with congestive heart failure. In addition, beneficial haemodynamic and echocardiographic changes achieved with quinapril were maintained for up to 1 year with continued administration to such patients, but its effect on survival in patients with congestive heart failure has not been reported. The tolerability profile of quinapril is broadly similar to that of other ACE inhibitors; pooled data from clinical trials indicated that 12% of patients with hypertension or congestive heart failure receiving quinapril experienced a treatment-related adverse effects compared with 15% of enalapril recipients and 16% of captopril recipients. Thus, quinapril has clearly established a role as an effective and well tolerated alternative to other ACE inhibitors for the treatment of hypertension and congestive heart failure. While effects of quinapril on survival of patients with congestive heart failure have not been determined, large intervention studies have demonstrated improved mortality rates with other ACE inhibitors. Further studies, including a large ongoing trial of normotensive patients with coronary artery disease but normal left ventricular function, may also establish a role for quinapril in treating patients with ischaemic heart disease.
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PMID:Quinapril. A reappraisal of its pharmacology and therapeutic efficacy in cardiovascular disorders. 752 26

The incidence of diabetes and its complications is increasing to staggering proportions. Presently the WHO estimates an overall prevalence of 130 million, but by 2025 there will be 300 million individuals with diabetes mellitus. The incidence of diabetic neuropathy approaches 50% in most diabetic populations; there is no treatment, and its consequences in the form of foot ulceration and amputation are financially punishing for health care providers. Attempts to develop treatments have faltered for want of an understanding of the aetiology of diabetic neuropathy. As a consequence, 1999 saw the demise of two further compounds: recombinant growth factor by Roche-Genentech and the aldose reductase inhibitor zopolrestat, by Pfizer, both had reached phase III clinical trials. They joined an impressive list of at least 30 other compounds which have reached phase III clinical trials and failed to establish efficacy. The need to establish a viable treatment for human diabetic neuropathy is absolutely paramount. To provide a rational answer as to whether angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors can prevent human diabetic neuropathy, two major issues need addressing: 1) Does vascular dysfunction cause human diabetic neuropathy? 2) Can ACE inhibitors ameliorate diabetic vascular dysfunction and hence neuropathy? Epidemiological studies support a strong association between neuropathy, retinopathy and nephropathy. Microangiopathy is deemed as the root cause of both nephropathy, and retinopathy and mounting evidence provides support for a vascular basis of diabetic neuropathy. ACE inhibitors appear to correct many of the abnormalities associated with the vascular dysfunction found in diabetes. Thus effective ACE inhibition impacts very positively on cardiovascular outcomes in patients with ischaemic heart disease, particularly in diabetic patients. ACE inhibition also prevents the development and progression of incipient and established diabetic nephropathy and delays progression of background retinopathy. Quinapril improves measures of diabetic autonomic neuropathy. Our recent study has demonstrated a significant improvement in peripheral neuropathy following 12 months of treatment with the ACE inhibitor trandolapril.
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PMID:Can diabetic neuropathy be prevented by angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors? 1071 71

Myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury involves necrosis and apoptosis. The inhibition of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) has been reported to suppress infarct size. In this study, it was investigated whether an ACE inhibitor affected myocardial apoptosis and apoptosis-related proteins in rats with experimental myocardial infarction. Anesthetized Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups. Group I underwent 30 minutes of left coronary artery occlusion followed by 24 hours of reperfusion (control group); Group II underwent oral administration of the ACE inhibitor quinapril (10 mg/kg/day) before coronary occlusion (quinapril group); Group III underwent administration of the bradykinin B(2)-receptor antagonist Hoe 140 (250 microg/kg/day, subcutaneously) with quinapril (quinapril + Hoe 140 group); and Group IV underwent administration of Hoe 140 alone (Hoe 140 group). After reperfusion, myocardial infarct size was determined by triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining. Myocardial apoptosis was detected immunohistologically using terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated nick end labeling staining and DNA electrophoresis. Myocardial caspase-3 activation was analyzed by Western blot and the expressions of Bcl-xL and Bax proteins were detected immunohistochemically. Quinapril significantly reduced the ratio of myocardial infarct size in the ischemic area at risk. In addition, quinapril significantly suppressed the incidence of apoptotic myocytes around the necrotic region (from 18.9 +/- 0.8% to 8.6 +/- 1.0%; P < 0.0001), the intensity of DNA ladder formation, and the activation of caspase-3. Hoe 140 attenuated these protective effects of quinapril. In the immunohistochemical study, Bax and Bcl-xL were expressed in myocytes, and ischemia-reperfusion abolished both proteins in the center region of ischemia. The Bax staining was equally observed among all groups. However, Bcl-xL staining remained in the ischemic area widely after quinapril treatment. In addition, Hoe 140 also depleted this effect of quinapril. These results suggest that inhibition of ACE reduces myocardial infarction and apoptosis via the bradykinin B(2) receptor in part. The antiapoptotic effect of the ACE inhibitor is attributed to the changing expression of Bcl-xL.
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PMID:Effects of ACE inhibition on myocardial apoptosis in an ischemia-reperfusion rat heart model. 1277 65