Abstract: Aim To investigate the therapeutic value of fosinopril in heart failure.Methods Thirty SD rats were divided into three groups at random.Rats in heart failure group and fosinopril group were given an 8 weeks overswimming exercise to induce heart failure and the heart failure rats in fosinogril group were treated with fosinopril orally (2 mg·kg·d^-1)for 6 weeks.14 weeks late r the hemodynamic indexes, myocardiac apoptosis rate, left ventricular mass index (LVM I)and myocardiac interstitial fibrosis were determined.Results The hemodynamic indexes in heart group were remarkably different from those in normal control group, while there was a significant improvement in fosinopril group (P<0.01).Left ventricular mass index in heart failure group was more increased than in the control(P<0.01), but it was significantly decreased in fosinopril group (P<0.01).Myocardiac apoptosis rats was highest in heart failure group, and it was decreased when treated with fosinopril(P<0.01).Conclusion Fosinopril could drop the myocardiac apoptosis rats.It suggests that fosinopril has protecting myocardium effect, andim proves prognosis of patients with heart failure.

Key words: fosinopril, heart failure