The therapeutic prospects of using L-carnitine to manage hypertension-related organ damage.
Subclinical organ damage is a very important aspect when assessing total cardiovascular risk in hypertensive subjects. Therapeutic strategies in those patients should consider treatment of hypertension-related cardiovascular and renal damage in addition to achieving the recommended blood pressure targets. l-carnitine (LC) is a naturally occurring compound that is administered exogenously for treatment of patients that are deficient in carnitine. The currently available data do not support a preferential role of LC as an antihypertensive agent compared to other available drugs. However, its ability to simultaneously modulate several targets and/or pathways provides antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. These additional properties might justify the therapeutic use of LC as a protective agent against cardiovascular and renal remodelling in arterial hypertension.
Mate
Alfonso
A
Departamento de Fisiología y Zoología, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Sevilla, CL Profesor García González 2, E-41012 Sevilla, Spain. mate@us.es
Miguel-Carrasco
José L
JL
Vázquez
Carmen M
CM
D000818:Animals; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D002331:Carnitine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D012306:Risk
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents; D002331:Carnitine