CANADIAN JOURNAL OF CARDIOLOGY, cilt.19, sa.4, ss.405-408, 2003 (SCI-Expanded)
BACKGROUND: Rheumatic mitral regurgitation (MR) causes heart failure by volume overload and an increase in atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) levels by atrial stretching. Symptoms of heart failure improve with ANP treatment. Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI) and ANP have similar effects, such as vasodilation, natriuresis and diuresis.