The role of the renin angiotensin system in chronic renal disease

End-stage renal disease (ESRD) is a costly and debilitating condition affecting 250,000 patients in the United States. The incidence of ESRD has doubled in the past 10 years and is expected to continue to increase well into the next century as our population ages. Over the past 20 years investigative efforts have been focused on defining the pathophysiological basis of chronic renal disease and on therapeutic interventions designed to prevent its progression to renal failure. Several experimental models of progressive renal disease have been developed and used to examine potential mechanisms which may contribute to the pathophysiology of renal failure. Data from these studies indicate that the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) contributes significantly to the pathophysiology of renal disease in the experimental models examined. Data from clinical studies also indicates that the RAS contributes to the progression of renal disease in man as well. While our knowledge in this area is far from complete, numerous experimental and clinical studies have demonstrated that the blockade of the RAS has a distinct advantage in preventing the progression of renal insufficiency to complete renal failure.