title: The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system: focus on its distinct role in arterial hypertension and its various inhibitors as a therapeutic strategy to effectively lower blood pressure.
abstract: Chronically elevated blood pressure results from pathological alterations in control systems. Current approaches to elucidate the underlying etiology strongly emphasize the (patho)physiological significance of the Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System (RAAS) which interestingly interacts with the sympathetic, the cholinergic and purinergic systems. While the angiotensin-II-receptor subtype 1 (AT1), which mediates the blood-pressure-related effects of angiotensin II (All), has so far been extensively investigated, the physiological relevance of the other angiotensin-II-receptor subtypes-in particular of the AT2-receptor subtype-is about to be evolved by analysis of the various signal transduction mechanisms and by evaluation of transgenic animals, e.g. the knock-out mice, following disruption of the single A-II-receptor subtypes. Based on the clinical success of ACE inhibitors, the blockade of the Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System in many different ways has been recognized as a successful strategy to effectively lower blood pressure.
authors.affiliation: Pharmakologisches Institut für Naturwissenschaftler, Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universität in Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Soldner
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Spahn-Langguth
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mutschler
mesh_terms: D057911:Angiotensin Receptor Antagonists; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012084:Renin-Angiotensin System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D057911:Angiotensin Receptor Antagonists; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents