ACEI drugs/muscle function

[SL S <stepnout@swva.net>]

Interesting proposed additional effect of the ACE inhibitor drugs.  Most
standard drug references do not mention muscle efficiency as a pharmacologic
effect. Angiotensin converting enzyme takes a less-active precursor and
modifies it to an extremely potent vasopressor,  a vascular constrictor that
raises blood pressure and also causes fluid retention to boost blood volume.
Reducing the amount of vasoconstriction and blood volume reduces both the
pressure load and the volume load on the heart muscle--in effect giving it a
smaller amount to pump on a level instead of uphill.  Now if there's
POSSIBLY another direct effect on muscle cell efficiency, somebody will be
giving captopril to try to improve athletic performance.  Hope they do it in
a lab with controlled conditions instead of redirecting some of Grandpa's
heart pills!

Sally in Floyd, VA