title: Vasopeptidase inhibition: a new direction in cardiovascular treatment.
abstract: The development of new antihypertensive agents is becoming even more important. We need better blood pressure control and also agents that treat hypertension as a disease of the vascular endothelium. Recently, it has been shown that blocking the renin-angiotensin system with angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors reduces blood pressure and decreases the incidence of vascular disease. Another peptide system, the natriuretic peptide system, has also been shown to be important in blood pressure control and volume homeostasis. Because ACE and neutral endopeptidase, the enzyme responsible for the degradation of the natriuretic peptides, are both zinc metalloproteases, new pharmaceuticals that inhibit both enzymes have been developed. The first of these, omapatrilat, has been shown to be an effective antihypertensive agent and to have great potential for treating congestive heart failure.
authors.affiliation: Hypertension Institute, Saint Thomas Medical Group, Saint Thomas Medical Plaza, 4230 Harding Road, Suite 400, Nashville, TN 37205, USA. jasher@stmg.org.
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Asher
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Naftilan
mesh_terms: D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000818:Animals; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor / Q000187:drug effects; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008698:Mesylates / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008666:Metalloendopeptidases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000502:physiology; D011480:Protease Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011725:Pyridines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012084:Renin-Angiotensin System / Q000502:physiology; D013841:Thiazepines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014443:Tyrosine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D008698:Mesylates; D011480:Protease Inhibitors; D011725:Pyridines; D013841:Thiazepines; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain; C106266:omapatrilat; D014443:Tyrosine; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor; D008666:Metalloendopeptidases; C111998:sampatrilat