EXPERIENCE WITH ANGIOTENSIN-II ANTAGONISTS IN HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS

1. The availability of orally active specific angiotensin receptor ant agonists (ATI antagonists) has opened new therapeutic choices and prov ided probes to test the specific role of the renin-angiotensin system in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease. 2. The data available s o far suggest that the antihypertensive efficacy of angiotensin recept or antagonists is comparable to that of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, This provides further evidence that this latter clas s of drugs exerts its effect mainly through blockade of the renin-angi otensin enzymatic cascade; As expected, the association of a diuretic exerts an equally strong additive effect to the antihypertensive effic acy of both classes of drugs, 3. The most common side effect of ACE in hibitors, dry cough, does not occur with AT(1) antagonists, which conf irms the long-held view that this untoward effect of the ACE inhibitor s is due to renin-angiotensin-independent mechanisms. 4. Long-term stu dies with morbidity/mortality outcome results are needed, before a def inite position can be assigned to this newcomer in the orchestra of mo dern antihypertensive drugs, Notwithstanding, this new class of agents already represents an exciting new addition to our therapeutic armame ntarium.