CARDIOPROTECTION BY ALISKIREN, VALSARTAN AND THEIR COMBINATION IN RATS WITH CHRONIC MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION

Abstract

Objective: Aliskiren is a renin inhibitor approved for the treatment of hypertension. Aliskiren increases cardiac tissue kallikrein and bradykinin levels, both of which are important for cardioprotection. We showed previously that aliskiren reduces myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury via a bradykinin B2 and angiotensin AT2 receptor-mediated mechanism. In the present study, we investigated the effects of aliskiren on cardiac remodeling and hemodynamics post myocardial infarction (MI). Design and Method: Female Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to either sham MI or MI produced by permanent ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery. MI rats were then divided into 4 treatment ..