Adverse renal effects of hydrochlorothiazide in rats with myocardial infarction treated with an ACE inhibitor.

Diuretics, when added to angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE inhibitors) treatment, can augment the response to ACE inhibitors, but may have adverse effects on renal function, which negatively affect prognosis. While in heart failure rats combined therapy initially improved cardiac function and prognosis, this benefit was completely lost at later stages. We now studied renal effects of adding hydrochlorothiazide to ACE inhibitor after myocardial infarction in rats. Rats were randomized to ACE inhibitor quinapril monotherapy or quinapril with add-on hydrochlorothiazide. Survival was monitored for 14 months. Plasma creatinine, measured at 4 months, was increased by 40% in quinapril with add-on hydrochlorothiazide compared to quinapril. Although overall 14-months mortality was similar in quinapril with add-on hydrochlorothiazide and quinapril, stratification based on plasma creatinine showed increased mortality in the tertile with highest plasma creatinine (P=0.03, Log rank). With add-on hydrochlorotiazide, renal morphology displayed severe renal interstitial lesions; tubular dilatation and fibrosis. Interstitial myofibroblast transformation (alpha-smooth muscle actine staining) was increased at 8 and 14 months, and coincided with collagen deposition and interstitial inflammation (macrophage influx). In rats with quinapril monotherapy or untreated rats, renal structure was normal. Thus, adding hydrochlorotiazide to ACE inhibitor detrimentally affected not only renal function, but also renal structure in rats with myocardial infarction. Altered pharmacokinetics, resulting from a vicious circle of reduced renal function and increased circulating drug levels, may provide an explanation for the adverse renal effects and may exert unfavorable effects on long-term prognosis after myocardial infarction.