Newsletter

150% increase in kidney disease in past 10 years

2002

Overview

CCBs can be divided into two classes, dihydropyridine (DHP) and non- dihydropyridine (non-DHP). In their review of the clinical data, Dr. [Giuseppe Remuzzi] and colleagues suggest that DHP CCBs \"may worsen proteinuria and accelerate the progression of diabetic nephropathy\". In fact, an analysis of studies conducted to date revealed that at any level of blood pressure control, patients with diabetes who were treated with DHP CCBs had more severe proteinuria and a more rapid decline in their glomerular filtration rate (a measure of kidney function) than those treated with other antihypertensive agents.(2) So what does this news mean for the average Canadian, who may be at risk for diabetes and renal complications? \"Treatment of hypertension in diabetics needs to be directed at both the prevention of cardiovascular disease and halting the progression of renal disease,\" commented Dr. Norman Muirhead, a professor of medicine at the University of Western Ontario and a neprologist at the London Health Sciences Centre in London, Ontario. \"Screening among type 2 diabetics for proteinuria at time of diagnosis must be standard since this is the critical point at which possible kidney damage may be reversible. Even though nephropathy may take years to progress, aggressive early management of risk factors using the most appropriate combination strategy will yield the greatest preventive benefit. Dr. Remuzzi has taken an important step by presenting clear practice guidelines on how to manage high blood pressure with agents that inhibit the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system and when they are not enough, also with other drugs including non-DHP CCBs that do not accelerate renal damage,\" concluded Dr. Muirhead.

• Publisher: PR Newswire Association LLC
• Subject: Antihypertensives / Blood pressure / Diabetes / Hypertension / Medicine / Pharmaceutical industry / Remuzzi, Giuseppe