The interactions of blood pressure, salt intake and angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibition were investigated in the Dahl salt-sensitive (DS) and salt-resistant (DR) strains of rats. Eight-week-old DS and DR (40 of each) were separately randomized to receive a low- (0.4% NaCl) or a high- (8% NaCl) salt diet for 3 weeks. Thereafter the rats were further separated randomly to receive the ACE inhibitor lisinopril (3-8 mg/kg per day) or no drug treatment for 11 weeks. In untreated DS rats blood pressure rose, paralleled by a higher left ventricular mass (ratio left ventricular weight/body weight) irrespective of salt intake. Lisinopril lowered blood pressure to normotensive levels in all groups except DS rats on a high-salt diet, despite doses of up to 100 mg/kg per day, although there was a significant fall in blood pressure. Lisinopril reduced left ventricular mass significantly on the low- but not on the high-salt diet. Plasma renin activity increased on lisinopril treatment in all groups except DS rats on the high-salt diet. Regression of an increased left ventricular mass by ACE inhibition seemed to be impaired by a high salt intake, even when blood pressure was lowered. Therefore, although for regression of left ventricular hypertrophy, reduction of afterload was the leading factor, this might be adversely affected by a high salt intake.