Antioxidant Effects of Cardiovascular Drugs and AntiAging Favor of Statin Therapy

Abstract

Endothelial dysfunction is a natural process associated with aging. Prevention of endothelial dysfunction is clearly of great importance in avoiding or ameliorating the development of some aspects of vascular disease. Consequently, modern therapeutic strategies focus on preserving or restoring endothelial integrity. Antioxidant properties of cardiovascular drugs are important, as oxidative stress is crucial in atherosclerotic vascular disease. Statins and some other cardiovascular drugs including ACE inhibitors, ARBs actually has an impact on improving endothelial function. A growing number of new mechanisms of action of statins are being discovered in addition to those on cholesterol metabolism, which have been called pleiotropic effects. These effects include having beneficial effects on endothelial function and blood flow, decreasing oxidative stress, enhancing v of atherosclerotic plaques, inhibiting vascular smooth muscle proliferation and plate the stability let aggregation, and reducing vascular inflammation. Most of them are mediated by the inhibition of isoprenoids which serve as lipid attachments for intracellular signalling molecules.