Background Chronic heart failure (CHF) is associated with calcium transients and calcium handling proteins. Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor has been demonstrated to have beneficial effect on CHF. Yet studies addressed to the relationship between ACE inhibitor and calcium transients in CHF are rare. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of ACE inhibitor (perindopril) on the contractility and calcium transients and calcium handling proteins in ventricular myocytes from rats with experimental heart failure.Results The fraction of cell shortening (FS%) and [Ca2+]imax (nmol/L) were significantly reduced in group CHF-C compared with group PS (FS%: 7.51±1.15 vs 13.21±1.49;[Ca2+]imax:330.85±50.05 vs 498.16±14.07; both P