Significance of recently identified peptides in hypertension: endothelin, natriuretic peptides, adrenomedullin, leptin.

Arterial hypertension is one of the major risk factors in cardiovascular and renal disease. Advances in the study of pathophysiologic mechanisms and the relationship between several regulatory systems provide the basis for development of more selective therapeutic strategies. The increasing understanding of the role played by ETs, natriuretic peptides, AM, and leptin opens new frontiers in the care of hypertension and its complications, coronary artery disease and heart failure and other forms of cardiovascular disease.