Mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists and hypertension: is there a rationale?
Author(s): Gumieniak O, Williams GH Affiliation(s): Endocrine-Hypertension Division, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 221 Longwood Avenue, RFB-2, Boston, MA 02115, USA. Publication date & source: 2004-08, Curr Hypertens Rep., 6(4):279-87. Publication type: Review Accumulating evidence indicates that aldosterone is involved in cardiovascular disease by inducing inflammation in the presence of moderate amounts of salt in the diet. Spironolactone and eplerenone are the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) antagonists currently available for the treatment of hypertension. They have similar safety and antihypertensive efficacy. The advantage of eplerenone is the lower incidence of anti-androgenic and progestational side effects. The rationale for using MR blockade in the treatment of hypertension is threefold: the evidence of antihypertensive efficacy, the phenomenon of “aldosterone escape” occurring with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor and angiotensin-receptor block
