When blood pressure changes, Angiotensin II is produced and released into the bloodstream. This substance can make blood vessels smaller (i.e., vasoconstriction) by acting through Angiotensin II type I receptors (AT1R) to increase blood pressure. Or it can increase the diameter of vessels (i.e., vasodilation) through Angiotensin II type II receptors (AT2R) to decrease blood pressure. These two receptors normally work in balance to maintain blood pressure. However, excess Angiotensin II released in the bloodstream may reduce the sensitivity of AT2Rs, leading to excessive activation of AT1Rs. This results in increased constriction which plays a major role in diseases such as high blood pressure, hardening of the arteries, and heart failure. In the body, Angiotensin II production is reduced in the presence of estrogen, as seen in pre-menopausal women. Pre-menopausal women have a greater protection against cardiovascular diseases compared to age-matched males, likely due to the protective effects of estrogen. However, the extent that estrogen may impact the sensitivity of Angiotensin II receptors in pre-menopausal is unknown.
In this study, the investigators use the blood vessels in the skin as a representative vascular bed for examining mechanisms of microvascular dysfunction in humans. Using a minimally invasive technique (intradermal microdialysis for the local delivery of pharmaceutical agents), the blood vessels in a dime-sized area of the skin are studied in healthy young women and men. As a compliment to these measurements, blood is drawn from the subjects and circulating factors that may contribute to cardiovascular health are measured.
Condition | Sex Differences |
---|---|
Treatment | Compound 21, Compound 21 + losartan |
Clinical Study Identifier | NCT05576155 |
Sponsor | Anna Stanhewicz, PhD |
Last Modified on | 24 October 2022 |
,
You have contacted , on
Your message has been sent to the study team at ,
You are contacting
Primary Contact
Additional screening procedures may be conducted by the study team before you can be confirmed eligible to participate.
Learn moreIf you are confirmed eligible after full screening, you will be required to understand and sign the informed consent if you decide to enroll in the study. Once enrolled you may be asked to make scheduled visits over a period of time.
Learn moreComplete your scheduled study participation activities and then you are done. You may receive summary of study results if provided by the sponsor.
Learn moreEvery year hundreds of thousands of volunteers step forward to participate in research. Sign up as a volunteer and receive email notifications when clinical trials are posted in the medical category of interest to you.
Sign up as volunteer
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur, adipisicing elit. Ipsa vel nobis alias. Quae eveniet velit voluptate quo doloribus maxime et dicta in sequi, corporis quod. Ea, dolor eius? Dolore, vel!
No annotations made yet
Congrats! You have your own personal workspace now.