AT 1 Receptor Antagonism Reduces Endothelial Dysfunction and Intimal Thickening in Atherosclerotic Rabbits

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Abstract
—The effects of angiotensin (AT) 1 receptor antagonists on functional and morphological alterations associated with atherosclerosis are not well known. The current study was performed to examine the long-term effects of valsartan (3 or 10 mg/kg per day for 10 weeks) on endothelial function and structural changes in aorta from rabbits fed with either a control diet or a cholesterol-enriched diet. Rabbits fed with the cholesterol-rich diet showed higher ( P P P P 1 receptors, appears to play a key role in the development of the vascular functional and structural changes associated with hypercholesterolemia. AT 1 receptor antagonists, besides their antihypertensive effects, could be an important therapeutic tool to reduce the development of atherosclerosis.