**5. Conclusion**

ARBs, when added to conventional treatment for patients with heart failure, are associated with a reduction in morbidity and mortality as well as an improvement in quality of life. Clinical trials of ARB therapy indicate that these agents are generally well tolerated, both alone and in combination with other neurohormonal inhibitors (Patterson, 2003). Studies with ARB against EAM in rats provided several evidences for their protective role against the pathological alterations induced by Ang II (Figure 2). The treatment option with ARB against the cardiac complications involving Ang II has widened the area of cardiovascular research which will benefit the number of suffering population.

Fig. 1. Cross-sectional cardiac tissue slices with TUNEL staining depicting myocardial apoptosis, Azan-Mallory staining for fibrosis (blue area) and Hematoxylin and eosin staining depicting interstitial edema, vacuolization and degeneration of cardiac fibers respectively (X200). Normal, age-matched normal rats; EAM, Immunized rats without treatment; ARB, Immunized rats administered with ARB.

Fig. 2. Schematic representation of angiotensin pathway following angiotensin production. Angiotensin II binding to AT1 receptors leads to maintenance of homeostasis in normal physiology whereas pathological stimulation involves major cardiovascular complications. Treatment with ARB can potentially benefit the patients with these complications acting by blocking the actions of angiotensin II on AT1 receptors.

### **6. References**

314 Myocarditis

we have studied the action of ARB against EAM in rats. Out of 10 EAM rats used for treatment with ARB only 20% mortality was observed whereas control group showed 60% mortality. The disease severity was also decreased in the ARB treated group as shown by the less number of apoptotic cells, lesser fibrotic tissue replacement and also low level of inflammatory cellular infiltration when compared with the control group rats (Fig. 1).

ARBs, when added to conventional treatment for patients with heart failure, are associated with a reduction in morbidity and mortality as well as an improvement in quality of life. Clinical trials of ARB therapy indicate that these agents are generally well tolerated, both alone and in combination with other neurohormonal inhibitors (Patterson, 2003). Studies with ARB against EAM in rats provided several evidences for their protective role against the pathological alterations induced by Ang II (Figure 2). The treatment option with ARB against the cardiac complications involving Ang II has widened the area of cardiovascular

Fig. 1. Cross-sectional cardiac tissue slices with TUNEL staining depicting myocardial apoptosis, Azan-Mallory staining for fibrosis (blue area) and Hematoxylin and eosin staining depicting interstitial edema, vacuolization and degeneration of cardiac fibers respectively (X200). Normal, age-matched normal rats; EAM, Immunized rats without

treatment; ARB, Immunized rats administered with ARB.

research which will benefit the number of suffering population.

**5. Conclusion** 


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**Part 3** 

**Recent Advances in Myocarditis** 

