title: Effect of ramipril on blood pressure and protein excretion rate in normotensive nondiabetic patients with proteinuria.
abstract: Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors reduce proteinuria in both normotensive and hypertensive patients with proteinuric renal disease. However, the mechanism of the antiproteinuric effect has not been clarified. We performed a prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized crossover trial to test the hypothesis that the antiproteinuric effect of ramipril was due to an improvement in glomerular permselectivity independent of blood pressure and glomerular filtration rate. The effect of low-dose (1.25 mg/d) and high-dose (5 mg/d) ramipril was assessed in 15 normotensive nondiabetic patients with proteinuria (> 150 mg/d). The study was divided into four 12-week periods: placebo, high- or low-dose ramipril, crossover to low- or high-dose ramipril, and placebo. Blood pressure, glomerular filtration rate, renal plasma flow rate, urinary protein excretion rate, and plasma angiotensin II levels were measured at the end of each period. Mean arterial pressure, urine protein to creatinine ratio, and albumin excretion rate decreased significantly during low- and high-dose ramipril. Glomerular filtration rate and renal plasma flow rate were not changed significantly. Plasma angiotensin II levels decreased with both low- and high-dose ramipril. There were no episodes of hypotension and only one subject developed cough during ramipril that did not require discontinuation of the study drug. In conclusion, administration of ramipril in both low and high doses lowered blood pressure and reduced proteinuria in this cohort of normotensive patients with a variety of proteinuric renal diseases. The antiproteinuric effect of ramipril is probably mediated by a reduction in glomerular capillary pressure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, 75235-8856, USA.
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Toto
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Adams-Huet
authors.forename: A Z
authors.initials: AZ
authors.lastname: Fenves
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Mitchell
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Mulcahy
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000419:Albuminuria; D000804:Angiotensin II / Q000097:blood; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D003404:Creatinine / Q000652:urine; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000503:physiopathology; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005919:Glomerular Filtration Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000652:urine; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011507:Proteinuria; D017257:Ramipril / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017595:Renal Plasma Flow / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; D000804:Angiotensin II; D003404:Creatinine; D017257:Ramipril