Angiotensin II receptor blockers. A new class of antihypertensive drugs
M. T. Velasquez
Department of Medicine, George Washington University Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA.
Angiotensin II (AII) receptor antagonists, a new class of antihypertensive
agents, recently became available for the treatment of clinical
hypertension. These agents have a unique mechanism of action: they
selectively block the AII receptor type I thereby blocking all known
physiological actions of AII that are relevant to hypertension. Controlled
clinical trials have shown losartan potassium, the first of the AII
receptor type I antagonists approved for clinical use, to be effective,
providing long-term control of blood pressure in once daily oral doses in
patients who have mild to moderate essential hypertension. Losartan is as
efficacious as enalapril maleate and atenolol in these patients. Its
antihypertensive effect is enhanced when used in combination with a
thiazide diuretic. Losartan is well tolerated and generally free of the
side effects that are commonly associated with angiotensin converting
enzyme inhibitors and other currently available antihypertensive drugs.
Thus, AII receptor blockers represent an important therapeutic advance in
treating hypertension and provide a targeted treatment approach to block
activation of the renin-angiotensin system.
