Long Term Effects of Enalapril and Losartan on Genetic Heart Disease
Status:
Completed
Trial end date:
2003-04-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
The human heart is divided into four chambers. One of the four chambers, the left ventricle,
is the chamber mainly responsible for pumping blood out of the heart into circulation.
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a genetically inherited disease causing an abnormal
thickening of the heart muscle, especially the muscle making up the left ventricle. When the
left ventricle becomes abnormally large it is called left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). This
condition can cause symptoms of chest pain, shortness of breath, fatigue, and heart beat
palpitations.
This study is designed to compare the ability of two drugs (enalapril and losartan) to
improve symptoms and heart function of patients diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
(HCM).
Researchers have decided to compare these drugs because each one has been used to treat
patients with other diseases causing thickening of the heart muscle. In these other
conditions, enalapril and losartan have improved symptoms, decreased the thickness of heart
muscle, improved blood flow and supply to the heart muscle, and improved the pumping action
of the heart muscle.
In this study researchers will compare the effectiveness of enalapril and losartan when given
separately and together to patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM).