Potassium channel openers and vascular smooth muscle relaxation

Potassium channel openers comprise a diverse group of chemical agents which open plasma-lemmal K-channels. They show selectivity for smooth muscle, although K-channels in cardiac and skeletal muscle, neurones and the pancreatic beta-cell are also affected at relatively high concentrations. In additi...

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Veröffentlicht in:Pharmacology & therapeutics (Oxford) Jg. 48; H. 2; S. 237
Hauptverfasser: Edwards, G, Weston, A H
Format: Journal Article
Sprache:Englisch
Veröffentlicht: England 1990
Schlagworte:
Animals
Humans
Muscle, Smooth - drug effects
Muscle, Smooth - physiology
Potassium Channels - drug effects
ISSN:0163-7258
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Zusammenfassung:Potassium channel openers comprise a diverse group of chemical agents which open plasma-lemmal K-channels. They show selectivity for smooth muscle, although K-channels in cardiac and skeletal muscle, neurones and the pancreatic beta-cell are also affected at relatively high concentrations. In addition, at least one endogenous K-channel opener of vascular origin--endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor--exists and in man plays a role in modulating blood vessel tone. The type of K-channel involved in the actions of both exogenous and endogenous K-channel openers is still uncertain, although a prime candidate in smooth muscle seems similar to the [ATPi]-modulated K-channel in the pancreatic beta-cell. This review focuses attention on the action of these agents in vascular smooth muscle and on the possible clinical exploitation of their powerful vasorelaxant properties.
Bibliographie:ObjectType-Article-1
SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1
ObjectType-Feature-2
ObjectType-Review-3
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ISSN:0163-7258
DOI:10.1016/0163-7258(90)90082-D