Through investigating the effect of the angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) losartan on the number of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) and blood flow-mediated endothelium-dependent function (FMD) in the peripheral blood of patients with coronary heart disease (CHD), we found that FMD was improved and the number of circulating EPCs increased in the ARB treatment group (P <0.05). In addition, t...

It was reported recently that treatment of kidney transplant recipients with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI) or angiotensin II type 1 receptor blockers (ARB) is associated with strikingly improved long-term graft and patient survival. This finding has important implications for future posttransplantation therapy recommendations. In an analysis of 17,209 kidney and 1744 heart tra...

Fukuda M, Wakamatsu-Yamanaka T, Mizuno M, Miura T, Tomonari T, Kato Y, Ichikawa T, Miyagi S, Shirasawa Y, Ito A, Yoshida A, Kimura G. Angiotensin receptor blockers shift the circadian rhythm of blood pressure by suppressing tubular sodium reabsorption. Am J Physiol Renal Physiol 301: F953–F957, 2011. First published August 24, 2011; doi:10.1152/ajprenal.00167.2011.— Recently, we found that an a...

BACKGROUND Concerns about hyperkalemia limit the use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE-I) and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), but guidelines conflict regarding potassium-monitoring protocols. We quantified hyperkalemia monitoring and risks after ACE-I/ARB initiation and developed and validated a hyperkalemia susceptibility score. METHODS AND RESULTS We evaluated 69 426 ne...

Several clinical trials have demonstrated that angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) and angiotensin II type 1 receptor blocker (ARB) are equally effective in the treatment of chronic heart failure. However, this has not been confirmed for acute cardiac dysfunction. We examined whether ACEI or ARB prevents isoproterenol-induced acute left ventricular (LV) dysfunction in dogs. LV dysfun...

Despite reported renoprotection with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs)/angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), and notwithstanding their increased use, we continue to experience an epidemic of acute renal failure (ARF)/chronic kidney disease/end-stage renal disease. Consequently, concerns about iatrogenic renal failure have resurfaced. Different analysis of these trials revealed fl...

Both podocytes and glomerular endothelial cells (GEN) are postulated to play important roles in the progression and potential regression of glomerulosclerosis. Inhibition of angiotensin is crucial in treatment of chronic kidney disease, presumably via effects on BP and extracellular matrix. This study aimed to investigate how angiotensin inhibition altered the interactions between podocytes and...

There are several widely used combinations of angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB)/thiazide. The complimentary mechanism of action for such anti-hypertensive therapies is that, while ARB inhibits the vasoconstricting and aldosterone-secreting effects of angiotensin II, hydrochlorothiazide affects the renal tubular mechanisms of electrolyte reabsorption and increases excretion of sodium and chl...

This study compared three different disinfection processes (chlorination, E-beam, and ozone) and the efficacy of three oxidants (H2O2, S2O(-)8, and peroxymonosulfate (MPS)) in removing antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB) and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in a synthetic wastewater. More than 30 mg/L of chlorine was needed to remove over 90% of ARB and ARG. For the E-beam method, only 1 dose...