Olmesartan restores the protective effect of remote ischemic perconditioning against myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

Objectives: Remote ischemic perconditioning is the newest technique used to lessen ischemia/reperfusion injury. However, its effect in hypertensive animals has not been investigated. This study aimed to examine the effect of remote ischemic perconditioning in spontaneously hypertensive rats and determine whether chronic treatment with Olmesartan could influence the effect of remote ischemic perconditioning.

Protective effect of olmesartan against cardiac ischemia/reperfusion injury in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

Olmesartan, as a new angiotensin II receptor blocker, has shown beneficial effects on cardiovascular diseases. Nevertheless, the effect of olmesartan on ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury in the hypertensive heart has not been investigated. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the effect of olmesartan on I/R injury in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs).

[Prevalence of coronary artery disease in patients with rheumatic heart disease in China].

Objective: To investigate the prevalence of coronary artery disease (CAD) and the atherosclerotic risk factors in the patients undergoing valvular surgery due to rheumatic heart disease.

Methods: Consecutive 651 patients with rheumatic heart disease aged > 40 who were scheduled for valve surgery underwent diagnostic coronary angiography to delineate coronary arteries. Significant coronary artery disease was considered to be present if one or more single coronary branches showed 50% or more luminal stenosis.