Effect of angiotensin II receptor blockade on fibrinolysis during acute hyperinsulinemia in patients with essential hypertension.

ABSTRACT

We performed the present study to investigate indirectly the in vivo effects of angiotensin II on fibrinolysis and catecholamines by treatment with losartan, a selective angiotensin II type 1 receptor antagonist. The effects were evaluated in basal conditions as well as in two different models of acute hyperinsulinemia physiologically induced by oral glucose ingestion and by a euglycemic glucose clamp technique. Twenty subjects with moderate hypertension were included in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study of 4-week treatment periods. Plasma levels of catecholamines, tissue plasminogen activator activity and antigen, and plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 activity and antigen were unchanged in the basal state after 4 weeks of treatment. During both models of hyperinsulinemia, plasminogen activator inhibitor activity and antigen decreased significantly (both P<.001), and tissue plasminogen activator activity increased significantly (P<.Ol). Norepinephrine did not change during any of the procedures, whereas epinephrine increased significantly after 3 hours of the oral glucose tolerance test. Changes from baseline did not differ between the treatment and placebo regimens during the hyperinsulinemic procedures with regard to either of the fibrinolytic variables or the catecholamines. In conclusion, we could not demonstrate any effects of 4 weeks of treatment with losartan on plasma levels of fibrinolytic variables or catecholamines either in basal conditions or during acute hyperinsulinemia. However, the present findings do not preclude more direct effects of angiotensin II or involvement of other receptor subtypes on fibrinolysis.