Differential effects of fosinopril and enalapril in patients with mild to moderate chronic heart failure. Fosinopril in Heart Failure Study Investigators.

Objectives: To investigate the efficacy and safety of fosinopril in the treatment of chronic heart failure (CHF), patients with mild to moderate CHF and left ventricular ejection fractions <40% were randomly assigned in a double-blind manner to receive fosinopril 5 to 20 mg every day (n = 122) or enalapril 5 to 20 mg every day (n = 132) for 1 year.

Results: The event-free survival time was longer (1.6 vs 1.0 months, P= .032) and the total rate of hospitalizations plus deaths was smaller with fosinopril than with enalapril (19.7% vs 25.0%, P= .028). There was consistently better symptom improvement with fosinopril (P< .05). The incidence of orthostatic hypotension was lower in the fosinopril group (1.6% vs 7.6%, P< .05).

Conclusions: Fosinopril 5 to 20 mg every day was more effective in improving symptoms and delaying events related to worsening of CHF and produced less orthostatic hypotension than enalapril 5 to 20 mg every day.