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Angiotensin II Receptor Blockers: Novel Therapy for Heart Failure?
Author(s) -
Munger Mark A.,
Furniss Shawn M.
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
pharmacotherapy: the journal of human pharmacology and drug therapy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.227
H-Index - 109
eISSN - 1875-9114
pISSN - 0277-0008
DOI - 10.1002/j.1875-9114.1996.tb02960.x
Subject(s) - chymase , heart failure , angiotensin converting enzyme , angiotensin ii , medicine , angiotensin receptor , angiotensin ii receptor type 1 , ace inhibitor , renin–angiotensin system , blockade , pharmacology , endocrinology , receptor , immunology , blood pressure , mast cell
Heart failure is a severe, disabling disease that portends a short life expectancy. This grave prognosis may be explained by growth‐promoting effects of angiotensin II implicated in heart failure that mediate a genetic response called programmed cell death. The effects of angiotensin II are inhibited by angiotensin‐converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, which improve exercise performance and quality of life, attenuate disease progression, and modestly lengthen survival. Unfortunately, mortality remains exceedingly high and may be partly attributable to augmented production of angiotensin II from a non‐ACE chymase pathway. Angiotensin II production may therefore increase despite treatment with ACE inhibitors. The angiotensin II receptor antagonists are a new class of nonpeptide‐reversible inhibitors that may offer clinical promise in heart failure through blockade of angiotensin II actions, whether produced from ACE or non‐ACE chymase pathways.