Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors and Angiotensin Receptor Blockers in Myocardial Infarction Patients With Renal Dysfunction

J Am Coll Cardiol. 2016 Apr 12;67(14):1687-97. doi: 10.1016/j.jacc.2016.01.050.

Abstract

Background: There is no consensus whether angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) and angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) should be used for secondary prevention in all or in only high-risk patients after an acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

Objectives: This study sought to investigate whether ACEI/ARB treatment after AMI is associated with better outcomes across different risk profiles, including the entire spectrum of estimated glomerular filtration rates.

Methods: This study evaluated discharge and continuous follow-up data on ACEI/ARB use among AMI survivors (2006 to 2009) included in a large Swedish registry. The association between ACEI/ARB treatment and outcomes (mortality, myocardial infarction, stroke, and acute kidney injury [AKI]) was studied using Cox proportional hazards models (intention-to-treat and as treated).

Results: In total, 45,697 patients (71%) were treated with ACEI/ARB. The 3-year mortality was 19.8% (17.4% of ACEI/ARB users and 25.4% of nonusers). In adjusted analysis, significantly better survival was observed for patients treated with ACEI/ARB (3-year hazard ratio: 0.80; 95% confidence interval: 0.77 to 0.83). The survival benefit was consistent through all kidney function strata, including dialysis patients. Overall, those treated with ACEI/ARB also had lower 3-year risk for myocardial infarction (hazard ratio: 0.91; 95% confidence interval: 0.87 to 0.95), whereas treatment had no significant effect on stroke risk. The crude risk for AKI was in general low (2.5% and 2.0% for treated and nontreated, respectively) and similar across estimated glomerular filtration rate categories but was significantly higher with ACEI/ARB treatment. However, the composite outcome of AKI and mortality favored ACEI/ARB treatment.

Conclusions: Treatment with ACEI/ARB after AMI was associated with improved long-term survival, regardless of underlying renal function, and was accompanied by low rates of adverse renal events.

Keywords: chronic kidney disease; mortality; risk profile; survival analysis.

MeSH terms

  • Acute Kidney Injury / epidemiology
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Angiotensin Receptor Antagonists / therapeutic use*
  • Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / therapeutic use*
  • Comorbidity
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Glomerular Filtration Rate
  • Humans
  • Kidney Transplantation / statistics & numerical data
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Myocardial Infarction / drug therapy*
  • Myocardial Infarction / epidemiology*
  • Proportional Hazards Models
  • Registries
  • Renal Dialysis / statistics & numerical data
  • Renal Insufficiency, Chronic / epidemiology*
  • Secondary Prevention
  • Stroke / epidemiology
  • Survival Analysis
  • Sweden / epidemiology

Substances

  • Angiotensin Receptor Antagonists
  • Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors