Patterns of Use of Perioperative Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors in Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery With Cardiopulmonary Bypass

Background—Despite proven benefit in ambulatory patients with ischemic heart disease, the pattern of use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) in coronary artery bypass graft surgery has been erratic and controversial. Methods and Results—This is a prospective observational study of 4224 patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery. The cohort included 1838 patients receiving ACEI therapy before surgery and 2386 (56.5%) without ACEI exposure. Postoperatively, the pattern of ACEI use yielded 4 groups: continuation, 915 (21.7%); withdrawal, 923 (21.8%); addition, 343 (8.1%); and no ACEI, 2043 (48.4%). Continuous treatment with ACEI versus no ACEI was associated with substantive reductions of risk of nonfatal events (adjusted odds ratio for the composite outcome, 0.69; 95% confidence interval, 0.52–0.91; P=0.009) and a cardiovascular event (odds ratio, 0.64; 95% confidence interval, 0.46–0.88; P=0.006). Addition of ACEI de novo postoperatively compared with no ACEI therapy was also ...