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  • Title: [Are all antihypertensive drugs renoprotective?].
    Author: Wolf S, Risler T.
    Journal: Herz; 2004 May; 29(3):248-54. PubMed ID: 15167950.
    Abstract:
    Blood pressure, together with proteinuria, represents one of the most important factors in the progression of chronic renal failure (CRF). Antihypertensive therapy is beneficial to slow down the progression of a variety of chronic renal diseases, no matter what the cause. Intraglomerular hypertension, increased glomerular permeability and proteinuria should be identified, since they can be treated to prevent or minimize further glomerular injury. But not all antihypertensive drugs are equally effective to prevent the progression of CRF. Recent large trials indicate that blood pressure lowering obtained by intervention in the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) has an additive renoprotective effect in diabetic and nondiabetic renal diseases. In nondiabetic patients, the AIPRI and REIN studies support that angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors have a long-term renoprotective effect. The benefits of ACE inhibitors can be demonstrated even in patients who are not hypertensive. Angiotensin II receptor antagonists are shown to be renoprotective in type 2 diabetics (RENAAL and IDNT). However, whether these renoprotective effects are due to blood pressure reduction or due to the specific pharmacologic RAAS blockade is still a matter of debate. This discussion is still open, because the reduction in blood pressure levels was lower in patients treated with a drug that interferes with the RAAS compared with other antihypertensive regimens. It is concluded that both ACE inhibitors and AT II receptor antagonists are lowering the intraglomerular pressure independent of any change in systemic blood pressure by dilatation of the efferent arteriole of the glomerulus. These additional nonpressure-related effects may protect renal function by their antiproteinuric effect. In addition, beneficial effect of ACE inhibitors are related to reduction of AT II, which has potent proinflammatory effects independent of its hemodynamic influences. Other drugs, such as diuretics, beta blockers, and hydralazine, do not induce efferent dilatation and, therefore, may be less likely to reverse intraglomerular hypertension. For example, hydralazine and nifedipine appear to produce prominent afferent or preglomerular arteriolar dilatation. This will allow more of the systemic pressure to be transmitted to the glomerulus. Therefore, short-acting dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers (CCB) are not recommended. By comparison, long-acting dihydropyridines such as diltiazem and verapamil are less potent vasodilators and may primarily decrease the resistance of the efferent arteriole, similar to the ACE inhibitors. They may have an antiproteinuric activity. Yet, there is lack of large prospective randomized trials.A beta blocker as antihypertensive agent is indicated as second- or third-line drug especially in patients with additional cardiovascular disease. Other antihypertensive drugs can be added as necessary to achieve the treatment goals for arterial hypertension. The use of a diuretic will often be helpful in patients who already have renal insufficiency, since fluid overload is an important cause of hypertension and may also enhance the effectiveness of drugs that interfere with the RAAS. alpha(1)-receptor or sympathetic blockers are further possible drugs for combination antihypertensive therapy.
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