Converting enzyme inhibitors and calcium antagonists in the long-term treatment of hypertension in chronic renal failure.

Overview

Hypertension contributes to the inexorable decline of renal function in patients with chronic renal impairment. Studies on the long-term use of converting enzyme inhibitors and calcium antagonists in the treatment of hypertension in patients with chronic renal failure are hereby reviewed. The data demonstrate that converting enzyme inhibitors are effective antihypertensives in diabetic nephropathy and other forms of chronic renal failure. Furthermore, the results suggest that long-term treatment with captopril may slow the progression of renal impairment in diabetic nephropathy, whereas the data are inconclusive for non-diabetic nephropathies. A reduction of proteinuria or albuminuria was also observed in most trials during long-term converting enzyme inhibition. Treatment with calcium antagonists also led to effective blood pressure control in hypertensive patients with renal disease. However, the very limited data in humans suggest no consistent beneficial effect on kidney function or proteinuria. More controlled studies are necessary to determine the relative efficacy and safety of converting enzyme inhibitors and calcium antagonists in comparison with "standard antihypertensives" in long-term antihypertensive treatment of patients with various forms of chronic renal failure.