Effect of preoperative angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor and angiotensin II receptor blocker use on hemodynamic variables in pediatric patients undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass.

Background: Some have suggested that children undergoing cardiac surgery who receive angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors experience a greater degree of hypotension after anesthesia induction and in the immediate postcardiopulmonary bypass period than children who did not receive these drugs. Therefore, we examined the effect of ACE inhibitor/angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB) therapy on intraoperative hemodynamics and vasopressor use in pediatric patients undergoing cardiac surgery.

Methods: In a retrospective cohort study of patients younger than 18 years who underwent cardiopulmonary bypass between March 1, 2010, and April 1, 2011, we compared intraoperative hemodynamics and vasopressor use between patients who received preoperative ACE inhibitor/ARB therapy and those who did not. The primary outcome was vasoactive infusion score after cardiopulmonary bypass.

Results: The occurrence of hypotension did not differ significantly between the ACE inhibitor/ARB group and the control group during induction of anesthesia or at any time point after cardiopulmonary bypass. At 0, 30, 60, and 90 minutes after cessation of cardiopulmonary bypass, patients on ACE inhibitor/ARB therapy tended to have a higher vasoactive infusion score (7.1, 7.6, 9.4, and 11.3) than patients in the control group (6.3, 6.1, 6.0, and 6.7). Although this difference became more pronounced over time, it did not reach statistical significance.

Conclusion: The use of preoperative ACE inhibitors and ARBs in pediatric patients undergoing cardiac surgery did not significantly increase the incidence of hypotension after induction of anesthesia and did not increase significantly the vasoconstrictor requirements upon weaning from cardiopulmonary bypass; however, additional prospective studies are needed.