title: The renoprotective effects of RAS inhibition: focus on prevention and treatment of chronic kidney disease.
abstract: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) shares major risk factors with cardiovascular disease(CVD), including hypertension and diabetes mellitus. In patients with hypertensive kidney disease and diabetic nephropathy, inhibitors of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) significantly reduce the risk of renal and cardiovascular endpoints. Whether the renoprotective effects of RAS inhibitors can be fully accounted for by blood pressure reductions or whether other mechanisms are involved has not been clearly established. Because RAS inhibitors reduce albuminuria and slow progression of kidney disease, they are recommended as fi rst-line antihypertensive agents in patients with CKD, who often require aggressive treatment with > or = 2 drugs to reach the goal blood pressure (< 130/80 mm Hg). Greater RAS inhibition with higher-than-usual doses of a single agent or dual RAS inhibition with an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor and an angiotensin receptor blocker may be necessary for maximum renoprotective effects. Ongoing clinical trials assessing treatment and prevention of CKD may resolve unanswered questions about RAS inhibition in patients with hypertension and/or diabetes.
authors.affiliation: Division of Nephrology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21202, USA. mweir@medicine.umaryland.edu
authors.forename: Matthew R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Weir
mesh_terms: D057911:Angiotensin Receptor Antagonists; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012084:Renin-Angiotensin System / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D057911:Angiotensin Receptor Antagonists; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents