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Angiotensin receptor blockers in diabetic nephropathy
1Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, 221 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA. DAprice@Partners.org
Current Diabetes Reports
|March 20, 2003
Summary
Angiotensin receptor blockers show promise for preventing diabetic nephropathy in type 2 diabetes patients. While initial results are favorable, further research is needed to confirm if they surpass current angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors.
Area of Science:
- Nephrology
- Endocrinology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Diabetic nephropathy is a major complication of diabetes mellitus.
- The renin-angiotensin system plays a key role in the development of diabetic nephropathy.
- Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors are the current standard of care for protecting kidneys in diabetic patients.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the role of angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) in preventing diabetic nephropathy.
- To compare the efficacy of ARBs with ACE inhibitors in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Main Methods:
- Review of results from three large, randomized, double-blind clinical trials involving ARBs.
- Analysis of the role of the renin-angiotensin system in diabetic nephropathy pathogenesis.
Main Results:
- Initial results from ARB trials in type 2 diabetes patients with nephropathy appear favorable.
- ARBs offer a specific blockade at the final endpoint of angiotensin II formation, unlike ACE inhibitors.
Conclusions:
- ARBs demonstrate significant promise for the prevention of diabetic nephropathy.
- While ARBs show potential, their superiority over ACE inhibitors requires further investigation through large-scale, comparative trials.
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