[Valsartan in patients with arterial hypertension and type 2 diabetes mellitus. The lapaval study]

Arterial hypertension and diabetes mellitus give rise to a situation of high cardiovascular risk. The potential renoprotection from inhibition of the renin-angiotensin system is a valid option in this type of patient.

Evaluate the effect of valsartan on blood pressure (BP) and renal function in albuminuric patients with type 2 diabetes and arterial hypertension.

This was a prospective, observational study. Seventy-four diabetic patients with a blood pressure of > or = 140/90 mmHg, with micro or macroalbuminuria and a) blood creatinine levels lower 1.5 mg/dl (group 1) or b) blood creatinine levels between 1.5 and 2 mg/dl (group 2), were studied and followed up for a 12-week period. Treatment was started with valsartan 80 mg/d, increasing to 160 mg/d, adding torasemide at a dose of 5 mg/d if the target blood pressure of 130/85 mmHg has not been achieved. The degree of BP reduction was analyzed comparatively using a mercury sphygmomanometer and a semi-automatic monitor, the Omron HEM 705 CP.

All patients showed a significant reduction of the systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressures (p< 0.001) over the study period, decreasing from 150.7 +/- 12.8 to 130.8 +/- 9.6 and from 94.7 +/- 7.7 to 76.8 +/- 6.3 mmHg, respectively. A significant reduction was observed only for diastolic blood pressure (101.4 +/- 8.8 to 79.4 +/- 5.6; p < 0.001) in the group 2 of patients. Lowest BP values were always obtained with the semiautomatic device. At the end of the study, 9.5% maintained valsartan 80 mg/d and 36.5% reqcuired the addition of a second or third drug to valsartan 160 mg in order to achieve the therapeutic target BP A significant reduction was observed in the microalbuminuria (75.5 +/- 9.5 to 54.7 +/- 7.3 microg/min; p < 0.001) and macroalbuminuria (n = 20; 0.93 +/- 0.4 to 0.68 +/- 0.4 g/day; p < 0.001).

Valsartan significantly reduced SBP and DBP Valsartan at 160 mg/d had a significantly greater effect in reducing micro and macroalbuminuria. No changes were observed in renal function, HbA1c or serum potassium. The rate of adverse events was very low.