Are all antihypertensive drugs renoprotective?
Blood pressure, together with proteinuria, represents one of the most important factors in the progression of chronic renal failure (CRF). Antihypertensive therapy is beneficial to slow down the progression of a variety of chronic renal diseases, no matter what the cause. Intraglomerular hypertension, increased glomerular permeability and proteinuria should be identified, since they can be treated to prevent or minimize further glomerular injury.But not all antihypertensive drugs are equally effective to prevent the progression of CRF. Recent large trials indicate that blood pressure lowering obtained by intervention in the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) has an additive renoprotective effect in diabetic and nondiabetic renal diseases. In nondiabetic patients, the AIPRI and REIN studies support that angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors have a long-term renoprotective effect. The benefits of ACE inhibitors can be demonstrated even in patients who are not hypertensi
