Enalapril prevents stroke and kidney dysfunction in salt-loaded stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats.

The influence of chronic treatment with the angiotensin I converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor enalapril on blood pressure, kidney function, and survival was examined in stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRSP). Male SHRSP that were fed a Japanese rat chow plus a 1% NaCl drinking solution beginning at 7-8 weeks of age developed severe hypertension and stroke; 14 of 18 untreated control SHRSP died by 14 weeks of age and exhibited evidence of cerebrovascular lesions. When enalapril (15 mg/kg/day) was included in the drinking solution of 15 SHRSP, blood pressure was initially reduced by only a slight degree, whereas survival improved markedly; only one of 10 SHRSP died before the rest were killed at 18 to 21 weeks.