Blood Pressure Drug Losartan Found to Improve Nicotine-induced Pulmonary Hypertension in Mice

Article title: Angiotensin-II type 1 receptor mediates pulmonary hypertension and right ventricular remodeling induced by inhaled nicotine

Authors: Nicholas D. Fried, Tamara M. Morris, Anna Whitehead, Eric Lazartigues, Xinping Yue, Jason D. Gardner

From the authors: “Chronic, inhaled nicotine causes pulmonary hypertension and right ventricular remodeling in mice. Treatment with losartan, an angiotensin-II type 1 receptor antagonist, ameliorates nicotine-induced pulmonary hypertension and right ventricular remodeling. This novel finding provides pre-clinical evidence for the use of renin-angiotensin system-based therapies in the treatment of pulmonary hypertension, particularly in patients with a history of tobacco-product use.”

This study is highlighted as one of April’s “best of the best” as part of the American Physiological Society’s APSselect program.