Journal of hypertension
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Journal of hypertension · Jan 2012
Aliskiren inhibits atherosclerosis development and improves plaque stability in APOE*3Leiden.CETP transgenic mice with or without treatment with atorvastatin.
Aliskiren is the first commercially available, orally active, direct renin inhibitor approved to treat hypertension. The renin-angiotensin system has been shown to be a significant contributor to the development of hypercholesterolemia-induced atherosclerosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antiatherosclerotic and plaque stabilization effects of aliskiren alone and in combination with atorvastatin. ⋯ Aliskiren inhibited atherosclerosis development and improved plaque stability alone and in combination with atorvastatin, possibly via a mechanism involving T cells. These results suggest a potential benefit of using aliskiren in a clinical setting, particularly in combination with statin treatment.