Valsartan in a Japanese population with hypertension and other cardiovascular disease (Jikei Heart Study): a randomised, open-label, blinded endpoint morbidity-mortality study. Lancet 369

Summary Background Drugs that inhibit the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system benefi t patients at risk for or with existing cardiovascular disease. However, evidence for this eff ect in Asian populations is scarce. We aimed to investigate whether addition of an angiotensin receptor blocker, valsartan, to conventional cardiovascular treatment was eff ective in Japanese patients with cardiovascular disease

Exacerbation of acidosis during ischemia and reperfusion arrhythmia in hearts from type 2 Diabetic Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty rats

Abstract Background Sensitivity to ischemia and its underlying mechanisms in type 2 diabetic hearts are still largely unknown. Especially, correlation between reperfusion induced ventricular arrhythmia and changes in intracellular pH has not been elucidated. Methods and results Male Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty (OLETF) rats at 16 and 32 weeks of age were used along with age-matched nondiabetic Long-Evans Tokushima Otsuka (LETO) rats. Hearts from rats in these 4 groups were perfused in the working heart mode, thus inducing whole heart ischemia. At 16 weeks of age, no differences in blood glucose levels or incidence and duration of reperfusion arrhythmia were found between the strains. At 32 weeks of age, both impaired glucose tolerance and obesity were observed in the OLETF rats. Further, the duration of reperfusion-induced ventricular fibrillation (VF) was significantly longer in the OLETF rats, while the pH level was significantly lower and proton contents were significantly higher in coronary effluent during ischemia in those rats. Following treatment with troglitazone, improvements in pH and proton level in coronary effluent during ischemia were observed, as was the duration of reperfusion-induced VF in OLETF rats at 32 weeks of age. Conclusion The hearts of spontaneously diabetic OLETF rats were found to be more susceptible to ischemic insult. Troglitazone treatment improved ischemic tolerance by improving glucose metabolism in the myocardium of those rats.</p

Changes in pH of coronary effluent in LETO and OLETF rats at 16 weeks of age (A) and 32 weeks of age (B)

<p><b>Copyright information:</b></p><p>Taken from "Exacerbation of acidosis during ischemia and reperfusion arrhythmia in hearts from type 2 Diabetic Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty rats"</p><p>http://www.cardiab.com/content/6/1/17</p><p>Cardiovascular Diabetology 2007;6():17-17.</p><p>Published online 5 Jun 2007</p><p>PMCID:PMC1896150.</p><p></p> Closed circles show LETO rats, open circles show OLETF rats. * p < 0.05 vs. LETO rats

Changes in pH of coronary effluent in troglitazone-treated and non-treated LETO rats (A), and in troglitazone-treated and non-treated OLETF rats (B) at 32 weeks of age

<p><b>Copyright information:</b></p><p>Taken from "Exacerbation of acidosis during ischemia and reperfusion arrhythmia in hearts from type 2 Diabetic Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty rats"</p><p>http://www.cardiab.com/content/6/1/17</p><p>Cardiovascular Diabetology 2007;6():17-17.</p><p>Published online 5 Jun 2007</p><p>PMCID:PMC1896150.</p><p></p> Closed circles show non-treated LETO rats, gray circles show troglitazone-treated LETO rats, open circles show non-treated OLETF rats, bias circles show troglitazone-treated OLETF rats. * p < 0.05 vs. OLETF rats

Changes in proton content in coronary effluent from troglitazone-treated and non-treated LETO rats (A), and from troglitazone-treated and non-treated OLETF rats (B) at 32 weeks of age

<p><b>Copyright information:</b></p><p>Taken from "Exacerbation of acidosis during ischemia and reperfusion arrhythmia in hearts from type 2 Diabetic Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty rats"</p><p>http://www.cardiab.com/content/6/1/17</p><p>Cardiovascular Diabetology 2007;6():17-17.</p><p>Published online 5 Jun 2007</p><p>PMCID:PMC1896150.</p><p></p> Closed circles show non-treated LETO rats, gray circles show troglitazone-treated LETO rats, open circles show non-treated OLETF rats, bias circles show troglitazone-treated OLETF rats. * p < 0.05 vs. OLETF rats