The Best on Angiotensin Receptor Blockers from Day 1

Angiotensin Receptor Blockers Improved Cardiomyogenic Transdifferentiation Efficiency of Human Marrow-derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells in vitro

Researchers: Numasawa Y, Miyoshi S, Kimura T, et al.

Purpose: To test the hypothesis that angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) might affect cardiomyogenic transdifferentiation efficiency (CTE) of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), as “angiotensin plays an important role in maintenance of cardiomyocyte homeostasis and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) shows favorable effect on patient with cardiovascular disease.”

Results: By causing blockade of AT1 receptors, pretreatment of MSCs with ARB administration significantly improved CTE, allowing Numasawa and colleagues to concluded that “ARB-activated MSCs can be a promising cellular source for cardiac stem cell therapy.”

Do Angiotensin Receptor Blockers Increase the Risk of Angioedema?

Researchers: Makani H, Messerli F, Korniyenko A, et al.

Purpose: To determine—with the knowledge that angioedema “is a rare potentially life threatening adverse effect of ACE inhibitor (ACEi) therapy possibly related to increased bradykinin levels” and that angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) “are known to elevate bradykinin by stimulation of the AT2 receptor”—if ARBs increase the risk of angioedema by this mechanism.

Results: Although the risk of angioedema is significantly higher with placebo and other antihypertensive drug classes, the risk is half of that seen with ACE inhibitors.

Two key poster presentations from day 1 of the American College of Cardiology 59^th Annual Scientific Session focused on angiotensin receptor blockers.