Calcium antagonists and the kidney: implications for renal protection

During the past decade, attention has focused on the effects of calcium antagonists on renal function. When administered in vitro to the isolated perfused kidney, calcium antagonists exhibit consistent actions permitting characterization of their renal effects. Calcium antagonists do not affect the vasodilated isolated perfused kidney, but they do dramatically alter the response of this preparation to vasoconstrictor agents. Our recent studies using the isolated perfused hydronephrotic rat kidney model, which permits direct visualization of afferent and efferent arterioles, have demonstrated that the preferential augmentation of glomerular filtration rate observed in the isolated perfused kidney is attributable to preferential vasodilatation of preglomerular vessels. Although the clinical implications of such observations have not been fully delineated, the results of recent studies indicate that calcium antagonists exert salutary effects on renal function in patients with impaired renal hemodynamics. Such disorders include radiocontrast-induced nephrotoxicity and transplant-associated acute renal insufficiency. It is apparent, however, that the effects of calcium antagonists on renal blood flow commend their use in the management of essential hypertension.