Telmisartan improves vascular function and reduces platelet activation in rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes mellitus.

Diabetes is associated with vascular dysfunction and platelet activation, both of which may contribute to increased cardiovascular risk. We investigated whether the angiotensin II antagonist telmisartan improves vascular dysfunction and reduces platelet activation in diabetic rats. Therefore, male Wistar rats were injected with streptozotocin (50 mg kg(-1) i.