title: Eplerenone, a new selective aldosterone blocker.
abstract: Activation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system is associated with unsatisfactory outcomes in patients with hypertension and heart failure in that activation of this system is correlated strongly with both the incidence and extent of end-organ damage. Despite the availability of the angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEi) and the angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB), unblocked aldosterone levels remain an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease progression. New preclinical data generated over the last few years strongly supports the hypothesis that aldosterone has important deleterious effects on the cardiovascular system independent of the classical action of this hormone on renal epithelial cells. The new selective aldosterone blocker, eplerenone, has been shown to produce significant cardioprotective and renoprotecive effects in experimental models of cardiovascular disease. Early clinical studies suggests that eplerenone may have important therapeutic benefit in the treatment of hypertension and heart failure post-myocardial infarction (post-MI).
authors.affiliation: Mail Zone T1G, Pharmacia Corporation, 800 North Lindbergh Blvd., St. Louis, Missouri 63167, USA. ellen.g.mcmahon@pharmacia.com
authors.forename: Ellen G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: McMahon
mesh_terms: D000450:Aldosterone / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000818:Animals; D002319:Cardiovascular System / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004285:Dogs; D000077545:Eplerenone; D006335:Heart Injuries / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control; D000451:Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D012084:Renin-Angiotensin System / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D013148:Spironolactone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; D000451:Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonists; D013148:Spironolactone; D000450:Aldosterone; D000077545:Eplerenone