Angiotensin II receptor antagonists as the agents to treat cerebrovascular disease

Recently, several antagonists of angiotensin II receptors (AII-A) have been developed and are now used as antihypertensive agents. The regional cerebral blood flow appears to show typical changes during the course of cerebral ischemia and AII-A may have a favorable effect on the flow in some situations. Moreover, activation of the renin-angiotensin system plays an important role in the development of cerebrovascular lesions in chronic hypertension. Because several enzymes appear to produce angiotensin II in the absence of classical renin-angiotensin system, it is possible that angiotensin II is produced in some blood vessels even after inhibition of the activity of ACE. Thus, AII-A may be more effective to treat cerebrovascular lesions during hypertension than ACE inhibitors.