Losartan, aka Cozaar, prevents aortic aneurysm in a mouse model of Marfan synd

[Duff Man]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16601194

Aortic aneurysm and dissection are manifestations of Marfan syndrome (MFS), a disorder caused by mutations in the gene that encodes fibrillin-1. Selected manifestations of MFS reflect excessive signaling by the transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) family of cytokines. We show that aortic aneurysm in a mouse model of MFS is associated with increased TGF-beta signaling and can be prevented by TGF-beta antagonists such as TGF-beta-neutralizing antibody or the angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1) blocker, losartan. AT1 antagonism also partially reversed noncardiovascular manifestations of MFS, including impaired alveolar septation. These data suggest that losartan, a drug already in clinical use for hypertension, merits investigation as a therapeutic strategy for patients with MFS and has the potential to prevent the major life-threatening manifestation of this disorder.

Cozaar has been said to have a lot of different weird benefits that are kind of unexpected. I was on it for a couple years, but despite the good news about it's effect on aortas, my aorta still dialated.

Anyway, it's food for thought. I wouldn't go changing your medication just yet.

 

[upchurch131]

Nine years of Cozaar didn't help my enlargment. I'm at 5.1cm ascending aorta now.

 

[Duff Man]

Nine years of Cozaar didn't help my enlargment. I'm at 5.1cm ascending aorta now.

when are you getting it repaired?

Maybe it does the exact opposite of what they think it does... who knows. I know that I never had an aneurysm before 2004 when my aorta was 3.1 cm and I just started taking bp meds.