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Angiotensin II and abdominal aortic aneurysms
1Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, 2 Graduate Center for Nutritional Sciences, Wethington Building, Room 521, Gill Heart Institute, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536-0200, USA. Alan.Daugherty@uky.edu
Current Hypertension Reports
|November 6, 2004
Summary
Abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) are a major health concern in the elderly. Angiotensin II (Ang II) plays a key role in AAA development, suggesting new therapeutic targets for this condition.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Research
- Vascular Biology
- Geriatric Medicine
Background:
- Abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) significantly increase morbidity and mortality in the elderly.
- Current treatments for AAAs are limited to surgical interventions.
- No effective pharmacologic treatments are currently available.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of angiotensin II (Ang II) in the development and progression of AAAs.
- To explore the renin-angiotensin system as a potential therapeutic target for AAAs.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing animal studies demonstrating Ang II's effect on AAA formation.
- Analysis of the proposed mechanisms by which Ang II influences AAA pathogenesis.
Main Results:
- Animal studies consistently show that Ang II promotes AAA formation.
- The precise mechanisms underlying Ang II's role in AAAs require further definition.
Conclusions:
- Angiotensin II is implicated in the initiation and progression of abdominal aortic aneurysms.
- Understanding the renin-angiotensin system's involvement may lead to novel pharmacologic treatments for AAAs.