Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Captopril


Captopril (rINN) (pronounced /ˈkæptəprɪl/) is an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACE inhibitor) used for the treatment of hypertension and some types of congestive heart failure. Captopril was the first ACE inhibitor developed and was considered a breakthrough both because of its novel mechanism of action and also because of the revolutionary development process. Captopril is commonly marketed by Bristol-Myers Squibb under the trade name Capoten.

Clinical Use
Captopril's main uses are based on its vasodilatation and inhibition of some renal function activities. These benefits are most clearly seen in the following conditions:
1) Hypertension
2) Cardiac conditions such as post myocardial infarction and congestive heart failure
3) Preservation of kidney function in diabetic nephropathy
Additionally, it has shown mood-elevating properties in some patients. This is consistent with the observation that animal screening models indicate putative antidepressant activity for this compound, although there has been one negative study. Formal clinical trials in depressed patients have not been reported.[1]

[edit] Limitations of captopril
The adverse drug reaction (ADR) profile of captopril is similar to other ACE inhibitors, with cough being the most common ADR (Rossi, 2006). However, captopril is also commonly associated with rash and taste disturbances (metallic or loss of taste), which are attributed to the unique sulfhydryl moiety (Atkinson & Robertson, 1979).
Captopril also has a relatively poor pharmacokinetic profile. The short half-life necessitates 2–3 times daily dosing, which may reduce patient compliance.

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