Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition but not angiotensin II type 1 receptor antagonism augments coronary release of tissue plasminogen activator in hypertensive patients.

What Was Tested

The paper reports a study of Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors and Losartan, published as a randomized controlled trial.

The researchers compared the effects of perindopril and losartan on endothelium-dependent coronary vasomotor and fibrinolytic function.

Why It Was Studied

The renin-angiotensin system regulates the vascular fibrinolytic balance.

However, the effects of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin II type 1 receptor antagonists on coronary fibrinolytic function have not been compared in hypertensive patients.

Who Took Part

The study group was 16 patients.

By PubMed's age tags, the people studied were middle-aged adults and older adults, both men and women.

Coronary blood flow (CBF) was evaluated by Doppler flow velocity measurement.

How the Study Was Run

In design terms this was a randomized study.

The patients were allocated by chance, so the Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors group and the comparison group should start out alike.

What Was Measured

Topics PubMed links to this paper include Angiotensin Receptor Antagonists, Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors, Antihypertensive Agents, Bradykinin, Coronary Circulation, Fibrinolysis and Hypertension.

What This Means in Plain Language

The paper is a randomized study of Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors and Losartan in 16 patients.

With fewer than 40 people, it is a small study, so it is better read as an early signal for further research than as a settled answer.

The abstract goes on to report its results in about 6 sentences; this page does not restate them, so read the paper for the findings and their limits.

The publication is from 2003 (Journal of the American College of Cardiology), a journal based in United States.

More context: all human trials.