title: Micro-albuminuria and the organ-damage concept in antihypertensive therapy for patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.
abstract: OBJECT OF TREATMENT: Antihypertensive treatment in hypertensive patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus is intended to prevent long-term complications, particularly diabetic nephropathy. DIABETIC HYPERTENSIVES WITH ABNORMAL ALBUMINURIA: Antihypertensive therapy, particularly with angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, typically produces a permanent reduction in the decline of the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in diabetic patients with abnormal albuminuria. The rate of decline in the GFR during antihypertensive treatment is a well accepted end-point in diabetic renal disease. DIABETIC HYPERTENSIVES WITHOUT ABNORMAL ALBUMINURIA: In insulin-dependent diabetic patients with essential hypertension but with normal urinary albumin excretion there is no reduction in the GFR. Longitudinal studies have shown a fall in the GFR only in the presence of significantly increased urinary albumin excretion. ABNORMAL ALBUMINURIA AS A MARKER OF INCIPIENT NEPHROPATHY: Micro-albuminuria and proteinuria may be pathogenetic factors in the development of nephropathy, leading eventually to end-stage renal failure in diabetic patients. Measurements of micro-albuminuria and proteinuria, in addition to blood pressure recordings, might therefore be used as indications for initiating antihypertensive treatment. NEED TO MONITOR PATIENTS FOR ABNORMAL ALBUMINURIA: Transglomerular macromolecular traffic may produce mesangial damage, with subsequent glomerulopathy and diabetic nephropathy. Thus, close monitoring for micro-albuminuria and proteinuria is desirable in the management of diabetic hypertensive patients.
authors.affiliation: Medical Department M, University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Mogensen
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Petersen
authors.forename: K W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Hansen
authors.forename: C K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Christensen
mesh_terms: D000419:Albuminuria / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D003925:Diabetic Angiopathies / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003928:Diabetic Nephropathies / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005919:Glomerular Filtration Rate; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents