Objective(s): Doxorubicin (DXR)-induces glomerular atrophy and fibrosis in rat kidneys. The objective of the current study was to investigate the protective effects of valsartan on DXR-induced glomerular toxicity and its mechanisms of actions in rats. Materials and Methods: Male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were divided into four groups, and each group contains ten rats. First group was control and...

BACKGROUND Our objective was to assess time to achieve blood-pressure (BP) goal with incremental doses of valsartan alone, and together with hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ), in patients with uncomplicated hypertension. METHODS This analysis pooled patient-level data from nine randomized, double-blind, fixed-dose, placebo-controlled trials (N = 4278) of once-daily valsartan 80 mg, 160 mg, and 320 m...

Increased levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) are associated with incident hypertension as well as cardiovascular events, and angiotensin II is a potent proinflammatory mediator. However, whether angiotensin receptor blockade lowers hsCRP is uncertain. We performed a randomized trial in which 1668 patients with stage 2 hypertension were treated with 160 mg valsartan or 160/12....

It has been suggested that the effects of angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R) blockers are in part because of angiotensin II type 2 receptor (AT2R) signaling. Interactions between the AT2R and kinins modulate cardiovascular function. Because AT2R expression increases after vascular injury, we hypothesized that the effects on vascular remodeling of the AT1R blocker valsartan and the ACE inhibi...

BACKGROUND There is a paucity of data about the mechanisms by which sacubitril/valsartan (also known as LCZ696) improves outcomes in patients with heart failure. Specifically, the effects of sacubitril/valsartan on vascular function and NO bioavailability have not been investigated. We hypothesized that sacubitril/valsartan therapy increases circulating NO levels and improves vascular function ...

BACKGROUND Angiotensin-converting-enzyme (ACE) inhibitors such as captopril reduce mortality and cardiovascular morbidity among patients with myocardial infarction complicated by left ventricular systolic dysfunction, heart failure, or both. In a double-blind trial, we compared the effect of the angiotensin-receptor blocker valsartan, the ACE inhibitor captopril, and the combination of the two ...

Salt-sensitive hypertension (SSH) is characterized by impaired sodium excretion and subnormal vasodilatory response to salt loading. Sacubitril/valsartan (LCZ696) was hypothesized to increase natriuresis and diuresis and result in superior blood pressure control compared with valsartan in Asian patients with SSH. In this randomized, double-blind, crossover study, 72 patients with SSH received s...

Salt-sensitive hypertension (SSH) is characterized by impaired sodium excretion and subnormal vasodilatory response to salt loading. High dietary sodium intake and genetic predisposition to salt sensitivity of blood pressure (BP) are of particular clinical relevance in Asian populations. Sacubitril/ valsartan (LCZ696), a first-in-class angiotensin receptor neprilysin inhibitor, was hypothesized...

Salt-sensitive hypertension (SSH) is characterized by impaired sodium excretion and subnormal vasodilatory response to salt loading. High dietary sodium intake and genetic predisposition to salt sensitivity of blood pressure (BP) are of particular clinical relevance in Asian populations. Sacubitril/ valsartan (LCZ696), a first-in-class angiotensin receptor neprilysin inhibitor, was hypothesized...

This study tested the hypothesis that endogenous bradykinin contributes to the effects of angiotensin AT(1) receptor blockade in humans. The effect of the bradykinin B(2) receptor antagonist d-Arg-Arg-Pro-Hyp-Gly-Thi-Ser-d-Tic-Oic-Arg (HOE-140) (18 microg/kg/h i.v. for 6 h) on hemodynamic and endocrine responses to acute and chronic (1-month) treatment with valsartan (160 mg/day) was determined...