CARDIOVASCULAR JOURNAL OF AFRICA • Vol 24, No 3, April 2013
AFRICA
61
Fig. 2: Kidney and thoracic aorta sections of normal,
hypertensive and AT
1
receptor blocker-treated groups.
A: Normal kidney section (4
×
) B: Hypertensive kidneys
showing severe oedema, characterised by dilatation of
the tubules and haemorrhage in the glomeruli and tubules
(10
×
); C: Losartan-treated kidneys showing minimal vacu-
olations (4
×
); D: Candesartan-treated kidneys showing
moderate oedema and haemorrhage, and hypertrophy of
the tubules (10
×
); E: Irbesartan-treated kidneys showing
moderate oedema, haemorrhage and hypertrophy of the
tubules (10
×
); F: Normal thoracic aorta sections (4
×
) G:
Hypertensive aorta showing minimal foam cell forma-
tion in between the fibres (4
×
); H: Losartan-treated aorta
showing no changes (4
×
); I: Candesartan-treated aorta
showing one or two foam cells (4
×
); J: Irbesartan-treated
aorta showing no changes (4
×
).
A
F
B
G
C
H
D
I
E
J
Kidneys
Thoracic aorta
Normal
Hypertensive
Losartan
Candesartan
Irbesartan
Fig. 1. Heart and liver tissue sections of normal control,
hypertensive and AT
1
receptor blocker-treated groups. A:
Section of normal control hearts showing normal struc-
ture and architecture (40
×
); B: hypertensive heart showing
moderate inflammatory cell infiltration (10
×
); C: Losartan-
treated heart showing very minimal vacuolations (40
×
);
D: Candesartan-treated heart showing moderate oedema
(40
×
); E: Irbesartan-treated heart showing moderate oede-
ma (40
×
), F: Normal liver; G: Hypertensive liver show-
ing severe vacuolar degeneration characterised by the
formation of vacuoles in the hepatocytes, clear cells and
perivascular cuffing (10
×
); H: Losartan-treated liver show-
ing minimal vacuolar changes just below the capsular
region (4
×
); I: Candesartan-treated liver showing a moder-
ate degree of vacuolar degeneration, oedema, congestion
and mild perivascular cuffing (4
×
); J: Irbesartan-treated
liver showing minimal vacuolar degeneration (4
×
).
A
F
B
G
C
H
D
I
E
J
Heart
Liver
Normal
Hypertensive
Losartan
Candesartan
Irbesartan
