Endothelial function and the effects of aldosterone blockade

Abstract

Endothelial dysfunction plays a pivotal role in the atherothrombotic process and its presence has a negative prognostic value in patients with hypertension, coronary heart disease, heart failure and chronic renal disease.In vitro and experimental data have suggested that aldosterone could play a role in the pathogenesis of endothelial dysfunction and that aldosterone antagonists may influence some of the negative vascular effects of aldosterone, preserving or reversing endothelial dysfunction.In humans an increase in aldosterone plasma level is related to a reduced endothelial function. Aldosterone antagonists were shown to reduce morbidity and mortality in patients with heart failure and to and this effect could be at least in part mediated by an improvement in endothelial function.This review summarizes the actual available data about the effect of aldosterone and aldosterone antagonism on this important surrogate end-point. © 2011 The Author.