[ACE inhibitors' effect on kidney function]

ACE-inhibitors have many positive features, when treating patients with progressive renal failure. These patients have high mortality in cardiac and vascular complications. It is therefore important to treat hypertension in these patients with drugs which do not have negative effects on lipid-, glucose, or electrolyte-metabolism, and ACE inhibition fulfills these requirements. These drugs decrease left ventricular hypertrophy, which is a positive prognostic sign of hypertensive patients, too. Contrary to regular diuretics, ACE-inhibition does not cause the negative effects associated with activation of the renin-angiotensin system. In many patients ACE-inhibitors decrease proteinuria to a higher degree than other antihypertensive drugs, and this may be an important clinical advantage, particularly in nephrotic patients. ACE inhibition might slow progressive renal failure. This effect may be associated with advantageous intraglomerular hemodynamic changes, but may also associate with inhibition of negative effects of angiotensin II on mesangial hypertrophy and matrix proliferation.