title: Preventing cardiovascular events with angiotensin II receptor blockers: a closer look at telmisartan and valsartan.
abstract: Angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) inhibit the renin-angiotensin system. As a result, these agents provide beneficial effects in terms of cardiovascular (CV) and renal protection, independent of their blood pressure-lowering effects. Telmisartan and valsartan are the most intensively studied ARBs for the effects on CV outcomes. Randomized clinical trials assessing morbidity and mortality end points have included a range of patient types, including those with hypertension, hypertension with Type 2 diabetes, high CV risk without hypertension, ischemic heart disease, stroke and heart failure. Few head-to-head comparisons between telmisartan and valsartan have been performed. However, some blood pressure-independent properties of these two ARBs can be scrutinized from separate studies in the available literature.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Molecular Science, Division of Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rome Sapienza, Sant'Andrea Hospital, Rome, Italy. massimo.volpe@uniroma1.it
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Volpe
mesh_terms: D057912:Angiotensin II Type 2 Receptor Blockers / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001562:Benzimidazoles / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001565:Benzoates / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D000077333:Telmisartan; D013777:Tetrazoles / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014633:Valine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000068756:Valsartan
chemical_list: D057912:Angiotensin II Type 2 Receptor Blockers; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D001562:Benzimidazoles; D001565:Benzoates; D013777:Tetrazoles; D000068756:Valsartan; D014633:Valine; D000077333:Telmisartan