Antihypertensive therapy in patients with diabetic nephropathy

Diabetic nephropathy is the most common cause of end-stage renal disease. Diabetic patients have an increased risk of hypertension. The coexistence of diabetes and hypertension confers a high risk of morbidity to this population. Antihypertensive therapy offers an important opportunity to attenuate the rate of decline in the glomerular filtration rate and urinary albumin excretion in both insulin-dependent and non-insulin-dependent diabetic subjects. Certain calcium antagonists and converting-enzyme inhibitors are emerging as first-line agents to preserve renal function.