Angiotensin II and the glomerulus: focus on diabetic kidney disease.
The renin-angiotensin system plays a key role in the progression of kidney disease, in addition to its well-described role in the maintenance of extracellular fluid volume and blood pressure. Recent studies have shown that blockade of the renin-angiotensin system at the level of the angiotensin II type 1 receptor can have important effects on proteinuria and the rate of progression of kidney disease in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. This review first discusses recent experimental studies relating angiotensin II to kidney function in diabetes mellitus and changes in glomerular permselectivity, and then focuses on recent clinical trials with angiotensin II receptor blockers in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Scholey
James W
JW
University of Toronto, 13EN-243, Toronto General Hospital, 200 Elizabeth Street, Ontario M5G 2C4, Canada. james.scholey@utoronto.ca
D000804:Angiotensin II / Q000502:physiology*; D057911:Angiotensin Receptor Antagonists; D000818:Animals; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000503:physiopathology; D003928:Diabetic Nephropathies / Q000503:physiopathology*; D018450:Disease Progression; D006801:Humans; D007678:Kidney Glomerulus / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012084:Renin-Angiotensin System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
D057911:Angiotensin Receptor Antagonists; D000804:Angiotensin II