Long Term Effects of Enalapril and Losartan on Genetic Heart Disease

The human heart is divided into four chambers. One of the four chambers, the left ventricle, is the chamber mainly responsible for pumping blood out of the heart into circulation. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a genetically inherited disease causing an abnormal thickening of the heart muscle, especially the muscle making up the left ventricle. When the left ventricle becomes abnormally large it is called left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). This condition can cause symptoms of chest pain, shortness of breath, fatigue, and heart beat palpitations. This study is designed to compare the ability of two drugs (enalapril and losartan) to improve symptoms and heart function of patients diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). Researchers have decided to compare these drugs because each one has been used to treat patients with other diseases causing thickening of the heart muscle. In these other conditions, enalapril and losartan have improved symptoms, decreased the thickness of heart muscle, improved blood flow and supply to the heart muscle, and improved the pumping action of the heart muscle. In this study researchers will compare the effectiveness of enalapril and losartan when given separately and together to patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM).