ABSTRACT
Hyperlipidemia and hypertension are major risk factors for atherosclerosis. These conditions are often present in the same patient. It has been proposed that an interaction between hyperlipidemia and neurohumoral systems, such as the renin-angiotensin system (RAS), explains the co-existence of hypertension and dyslipidemia in the same patient. Data from various studies have suggested that the effects of the RAS and hyperlipidemia are not independent and the underlying mechanisms, which both initiate and accelerate atherosclerosis, overlap. Treatment directed at lowering total cholesterol, lowdensity lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol, and triglycerides, and raising high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol levels has resulted in a reduction of cardiovascular events. Treatment directed at inhibiting angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) and angiotensin type 1 (AT1) receptors has also been shown to reduce cardiovascular events in patients with vascular disease. There is a suggestion that treatment directed at lowering cholesterol along with agents that modulate the RAS may have added benefits in the prevention, progression and treatment of hypertension and atherogenesis.
