ABSTRACT
Pharmacologic inhibition of angioten in-converting enzyme (ACE) has proven to be an effective management strategy in patients with chronic cardiac fai lure (CCF), a worldwide health problem of ever increasing proportions. It aJ o has provided important insight into the pathophysiology of CCF, including the pivotal contribution of the circulating renin-angiotensin-aldo terone system (RAAS) activation to the appearance of symptomatic CCF (Francis eta/., 1990; Swedberg eta/., 1990; The SOLVD Inve tigators, 1991; Rouleau eta/., 1993). In symptomatic and a ymptomatic patients, with or without RAAS activation, re pectively, ACE inhibition i accompanied by ri k reduction for morbid and mortal events and attenuates the progres ive nature of CCF (The SOLVD lnve tigator , 1991 , 1992).
