Opposite Effects of Angiotensin AT₁and AT₂Receptor Antagonists on Recovery of Mechanical Function After Ischemia-Reperfusion in Isolated Working Rat Hearts

Abstract

This is the first demonstration that short-term treatment with a selective AT1 versus AT2 antagonist exerts different effects on recovery of mechanical function after ischemia-reperfusion: the AT2 antagonist was cardioprotective, whereas the AT1 antagonist was not. These data suggest that AT2 antagonists and AT1 agonists may offer novel approaches for the treatment of mechanical dysfunction after ischemia-reperfusion.