Interactions of L-arginine, isosorbide mononitrate, and angiotensin II inhibitors on arterial pulse wave

What Was Tested

This randomized controlled trial paper looks at Angiotensin II.

The researchers investigated the effects on systolic blood pressure (BP) and pulse wave contour of two nitrate donors, isosorbide mononitrate (ISMN) and L-arginine.

Who Took Part

The abstract describes 14 patients taking part.

By PubMed's age tags, the people studied were middle-aged adults, older adults and people over 80, both men and women.

The subjects were 14 elderly patients chronically treated with antihypertensive agents.

In seven of the subjects, agents causing angiotensin II (AII) inhibition (angiotensin-converting enzyme [ACE] inhibitor or AT(1) receptor antagonist, or both) were used.

How the Study Was Run

The researchers set it up as a randomized, double-blind and crossover study.

Random assignment meant chance, not the researchers, decided who got Angiotensin II and who got the comparison, which limits bias.

Blinding on both sides kept the patients and researchers unaware of who received Angiotensin II.

Each person switched between Angiotensin II and the comparison at some point, usually with a gap in between.

Study entry required systolic BP of 150 to 200 mm Hg, and aortic pulse wave augmentation more than 15 mm Hg.

What Was Measured

Topics PubMed links to this paper include Angiotensin II, Arginine, Arteries, Blood Pressure, Circadian Rhythm, Diastole and Drug Interactions.

What This Means in Plain Language

The paper is a randomized, double-blind and crossover study of Angiotensin II in 14 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.

Results are reported in around 6 sentences of the abstract; we leave them to the paper itself rather than summarise them.

The publication is from 2003 (American journal of hypertension), a journal based in United States.

More context: the Angiotensin II compound page, all human trials.