[The effect of ARB on prevention of atherosclerosis]

Atherosclerosis is an inflammatory disease of vascular wall initiated and amplified by oxidative stress. Evidence has accumulated over the past decade that angiotensin II (Ang II) induces oxidative stress in hypertension which is one of the major risk factors of atherosclerosis. Angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) and angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) can reduce oxidative stress and inflammation in hypertensive patients. As a result, ACEIs reduce major cardiovascular events including myocardial infarction, stroke, and heart failure, whereas it has not been elucidated whether ARBs might be more effective at reducing atherosclerosis than ACEIs or not. The recent meta-analysis have been leading to the answer that ARBs should be considered as baseline therapy in hypertension.