ACE inhibition but not angiotensin II antagonism reduces plasma fibrinogen and insulin resistance in overweight hypertensive patients

What Was Tested

Researchers studied Angiotensin II in the context of insulin resistance, prediabetes & type 2 diabetes in this randomized controlled trial publication.

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor perindopril and the angiotensin II antagonist losartan on insulin sensitivity and plasma fibrinogen in overweight hypertensive patients.

Why It Was Studied

Then, after a new placebo period, patients were crossed to the alternative regimen for further 6 weeks.

Who Took Part

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

At the end of the placebo and of the treatment periods, blood pressure was measured, plasma fibrinogen was evaluated, and insulin sensitivity was assessed by the euglycemic, hyperinsulinemic clamp technique.

Glucose infusion rate (GIR) during the last 30 min of clamp and total glucose requirement (TGR) were evaluated.

How the Study Was Run

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

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

Neither the participants nor the staff measuring them knew who was on Angiotensin II, so expectations could not easily colour the readings.

A placebo (an inactive look-alike) gave the Angiotensin II group a baseline to be compared against.

In the crossover set-up each of the participants took both Angiotensin II and the comparison in turn, acting as their own control.

What Was Measured

Topics PubMed links to this paper include Angiotensin II, Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors, Antihypertensive Agents, Fibrinogen, Hemodynamics, Hypertension and Indoles.

What This Means in Plain Language

The paper is a randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled study of Angiotensin II in people with insulin resistance, prediabetes & type 2 diabetes.

The publication is from 1998 (Journal of cardiovascular pharmacology), a journal based in United States.

More context: the Angiotensin II compound page, Insulin resistance, prediabetes & type 2 diabetes research.