S. Zacharieva et al., Effect of short-term losartan treatment in patients with primary aldosteronism and essential hypertension, METH FIND E, 23(3), 2001, pp. 153-156
Citations number
26
Categorie Soggetti
Pharmacology & Toxicology
Journal title
METHODS AND FINDINGS IN EXPERIMENTAL AND CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY
The aim of this study sects to investigate the effect of short-term treatme
nt with losartan, a selective and competitive angiotensin II(AngII) recepto
r blocker; on vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), active renin and k
allikrein activity (KA) in patients with essential hypertension and primary
aldosteronism. Nine patients with primary aldosteronism (5 with Conn adeno
ma and 4 with idiopathic hyperaldosteronism) and 9 patients with essential
hypertension were included ill the study. Systolic and diastolic blood pres
sure decreased significantly after losartan treatment in both patient group
s. Plasma and urinary Kallikrein activity were significantly higher ire pri
mary aldosteronism in comparison with essential hypertension. There were no
significant changes in the active renin and aldosterone in patients with p
rimary aldosteronism after treatment. Plasma and urinary KA decreased signi
ficantly after losartan administration ill both groups. Serum VEGF levels i
n primary aldosteronism were not significantly different from those in esse
ntial hypertension anti did not change significantly after treatment ill ei
ther group. In conclusion, losartan, in usual therapeutic doses, lowers blo
od pressure in patients with primary aldosteronism and essential hypertensi
on. This marked antihypertensive effect in primary aldosteronism could he e
xplained predominantly by blockade of tissue resin-angiotensin system (RAS)
. The variations in KA could be due to hemodynamic changes. VEGF is riot li
kely to be involved in the action of losartan. (C) 2001 Prous Science. All
rights reserved.