ACE inhibitors and protection against kidney disease progression in patients with type 2 diabetes: what's the evidence

Abstract

Although angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors are frequently used as antihypertensive agents to lower blood pressure and slow progression of nephropathy in patients with type 2 diabetes, evidence of their efficacy has been drawn primarily from small trials with surrogate end points. No adequately powered, long-term trials have tested their effects to reduce the incidence of hard end points, such as progression to end-stage renal disease or even doubling of serum creatinine in the population of patients with nephropathy from type 2 diabetes. While the results of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor trials from nondiabetic causes and even type 1 diabetes may be extrapolated to the patient with nephropathy associated with type 2 diabetes, the hard evidence is not available. This review critically evaluates the limited evidence in support of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors as renal-protective agents in people with type 2 diabetes.