Involvement of mast cells in the development of fibrosis in rats with postmyocarditis dilated cardiomyopathy.

Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Occurrence of myocardial fibrosis is an important event in the ventricular remodeling process, which takes place during DCM. Mast cells are well known inflammatory cells implicated in various biological phenomena.

Effects of angiotensin-II receptor blocker candesartan cilexetil in rats with dilated cardiomyopathy.

We examined effects of an angiotensin-II receptor blockers, candesartan cilexetil, in rats with dilated cardiomyopathy after autoimmune myocarditis. Candesartan cilexetil showed angiotensin-II blocking action in a dose-dependent manner in rats with dilated cardiomyopathy. Twenty-eight days after immunization, surviving Lewis rats were divided into four groups and given candesartan cilexetil at 0.