saralasin and Diabetes-Mellitus--Type-2

Chronic activation of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) plays a crucial role in the development of various cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Thus, effective RAS inhibition has been a major achievement to improve the treatment of patients at risk for CVDs, such as myocardial infarction, heart failure and stroke. Three substance classes that block RAS-activation are currently available, angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, angiotensin II type 1 receptor blockade (ARB) and renin inhibitors. Although the overall goal of these drugs remains the blockade of RAS activation, their individual targets in this system vary and may substantially influence the clinical benefit derived from the long term use of these substances. Here, we summarize the evidence available for the use of ARBs in different cardiovascular pathologies and the impact of this evidence on current treatment guidelines for patients at risk for CVD. Today, ARBs represent a good alternative in case of ACE-inhibitor intolerance due to their outstanding tolerability. ARBs in comparison to ACE-inhibitors have been proven to exert similar effective in the treatment of systolic heart failure, primary prevention of stroke, new onset of diabetes mellitus (DM) type 2 and DM type 2 dependent macroalbuminuria. ARBs should be considered as alternatives to ACE-inhibitors in subjects post-myocardial infarction. Overall however, there is no profound proof for a specific cardiovascular protection by blockade of the angiotensin II Type 1 (AT1) receptor that exceeds the impact of ACE-inhibition or synergises with ACE-blockade. In fact, combination of ARBs and ACE-inhibitor result in an increased rate of adverse effects and, therefore, this combination should not be encouraged. To summarize, the initial hope for a more specific impact on cardiovascular diseases by inhibition of the AT1-receptor in comparison to ACE-inhibition has not come true. However, ARBs have been proven to be equally effective as ACE-blockade in a large variety of clinical settings.

Topics: Amlodipine; Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers; Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; Antihypertensive Agents; Calcium Channel Blockers; Cardiovascular Diseases; Consensus; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; Drug Therapy, Combination; Follow-Up Studies; Heart Failure; Hospitalization; Humans; Hypertension; Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular; Middle Aged; Practice Guidelines as Topic; Primary Prevention; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Renin-Angiotensin System; Risk Factors; Saralasin; Secondary Prevention; Stroke; Tetrazoles; Time Factors; Treatment Outcome; Valine; Valsartan

1. Transient and sustained calcium-independent outward K(+) currents (I(t) and I(SS)) as well as action potentials were recorded in cardiac ventricular myocytes isolated from two models of diabetes mellitus. 2. Rats injected (I.V.) with streptozotocin (STZ, 100 mg kg(-1)) 6-10 days before cell isolation developed insulin-dependent (type 1) diabetes. I(t) and I(SS) were attenuated and the action potential prolonged. Incubation of myocytes (6-9 h) with the angiotensin II (ATII) receptor blockers saralasin or valsartan (1 microM) significantly augmented these currents. Inclusion of valsartan (1 g l(-1)) in the drinking water for 5-10 days prior to and following STZ injection partially prevented current attenuation. 3. Incubation of myocytes from STZ-treated rats (6-9 h) with 1 microM quinapril, an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor, significantly augmented I(t) and I(SS) and shortened the ventricular action potential. I(t) augmentation was not due to changes in steady-state inactivation or in recovery from inactivation. No acute effects of quinapril were observed. 4. The effects of quinapril and valsartan were abolished by 2 microM cycloheximide. 5. Myocytes were isolated from the db/db mouse, a leptin receptor mutant that develops symptoms of non-insulin-dependent (type 2) diabetes. K+ currents in these cells were also attenuated, and the action potentials prolonged. Incubation of these cells (> 6 h) with valsartan (1 microM) significantly enhanced the transient and sustained outward currents. 6. These results confirm recent suggestions that cardiac myocytes contain a renin-angiotensin system, which is activated in diabetes. It is proposed that chronic release of ATII leads to changes in ionic currents and action potentials, which can be reversed by blocking the formation or action of ATII. This may underlie the proven benefits of ATII receptor blockade or ACE inhibition in diabetes, by providing protection against cardiac arrhythmias.

Topics: Action Potentials; Angiotensin II; Angiotensin Receptor Antagonists; Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; Animals; Carrier Proteins; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; Electric Conductivity; Isoquinolines; Mutation; Potassium Channels; Quinapril; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Reaction Time; Receptor, Angiotensin, Type 2; Receptors, Cell Surface; Receptors, Leptin; Saralasin; Tetrahydroisoquinolines; Tetrazoles; Valine; Valsartan