Novel paramagnetic selective angiotensin AT(1) receptor antagonists (sartans) bearing nitroxides (3, 4) have been prepared and their pharmacology evaluated in vitro as well as in vivo. Compounds 3, 4 proved to be effective sartans with pK(B) estimates in the range 6.2-9.1. In addition, the sodium salt (11) of 4 (R = Bu) is able to protect against vascular injury in hypertensive rats as determined by its ability to attenuate the development of intimal thickening caused by balloon injury of the carotid artery.