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Biomedical subjects

Luis M Ruilope

Publications and source records attributed to Luis M Ruilope.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed2004

Effects of telmisartan 80 mg and valsartan 160 mg on ambulatory blood pressure in patients with essential hypertension.

OBJECTIVES: This trial investigated and compared the antihypertensive efficacy of telmisartan and valsartan, two angiotensin II receptor blockers, used in monotherapy at their maximum recommended dose in hypertensive patients. METHODS: We studied 70 subjects (32 men and 38 women) aged 47.6 +/- 12.2 (mean +/- SD) years, with mild to moderate essential hypertension; they were randomly assigned to receive monotherapy with either telmisartan (80 mg) or valsartan (160 mg), in the form of a single daily tablet upon awakening. Blood pressure was measured by ambulatory monitoring every 20 min during the day and every 30 min at night for 48 consecutive hours before and after 3 months of treatment. Physical activity was simultaneously monitored every minute by wrist actigraphy to calculate accurately the diurnal and nocturnal means of blood pressure on a per subject basis. RESULTS: There was a highly significant blood pressure reduction during the 24 h with both drugs. The blood pressure reduction in the 24-h mean was significantly larger for valsartan 160 mg (18.6 and 12.1 mmHg for systolic and diastolic blood pressure, respectively) than for telmisartan 80 mg (10.8 and 8.4 mmHg; P < 0.001 between treatment-groups). There was also a highly significant reduction (P < 0.001) of 6.5 mmHg in the 24-h mean of pulse pressure after valsartan administration only. The trough : peak ratio and the smoothness index were slightly higher in systolic, but similar in diastolic blood pressure, for telmisartan as compared to valsartan. CONCLUSIONS: Despite a shorter half-life, 160 mg/day valsartan was more effective in lowering blood pressure over 24 h than 80 mg/day telmisartan. Furthermore, valsartan was also more effective in lowering arterial pulse pressure, an observation that may have important therapeutic implications, given the mounting evidence that pulse pressure may be a risk factor for future cardiovascular events.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed2004

On the importance of estimating renal function for cardiovascular risk assessment.

Microalbuminuria has been shown to predict an increased probability of suffering a cardiovascular event or death. It has also been shown to be decreased by antihypertensive therapy and in particular by drugs counteracting the effects of angiotensin II. In this issue of Journal of Hypertension data, from the LIFE study, are reported indicating for the first time that a decrease in urinary albumin excretion rate is accompanied by a significant decrease in cardiovascular events. This evidence is of great relevance because it constitutes the first evidence showing that regression of an intermediate end-point, microalbuminuria, ensures a better cardiovascular prognosis.

Humans↗
PubMed2004

Development of chronic kidney disease in essential hypertension during long-term therapy.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This review examines the relevance of the development of chronic kidney disease in long-term hypertensive patients on the cardiovascular prognosis. RECENT FINDINGS: Recently published guidelines recognize the relevance of the development of chronic kidney disease in the stratification of risk for the hypertensive patient. An adequate assessment of renal function, including an estimation of the glomerular filtration rate, is mandatory in order to ensure an adequate evaluation of the global cardiovascular risk in the hypertensive patient. The presence of subtle elevations in serum creatinine concentrations is a potent predictor of a poor cardiovascular prognosis. The clustering of associated risk factors seems to justify the elevated cardiovascular risk observed in patients with essential hypertension and mild renal function derangement. SUMMARY: Chronic kidney disease is associated with a significant increase in cardiovascular risk attributable to the simultaneous existence of other risk factors related to the metabolic syndrome. The high prevalence of chronic kidney disease in the general and hypertensive populations forces the recognition of its relevance and the need for an integrated therapeutic approach simultaneously to protect the renal and cardiovascular systems fully.

Antihypertensive Agents↗
PubMed2004

Cerebrovascular protection and antihypertensive therapy.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Our aim is to review the association between blood pressure and stroke and analyse data from randomized controlled trials involving diverse therapies, especially those regarding the renin-angiotensin system. In addition, an overview of stroke pathogenesis is given and its relationship with treatment action mechanisms reviewed. RECENT FINDINGS: Stroke is a leading cause of death worldwide. In addition, many survivors of stroke suffer different degrees of disability. Because of the ageing of the global population, especially in regions of rapid economic growth, stroke will remain the second leading cause of death and in terms of disability it will be among the five most important causes in both developing and developed countries. High blood pressure is the most important risk factor for stroke, either ischemic or haemorrhagic, and established hypertension is the most prevalent modifiable risk factor. Data from controlled trials of blood-pressure-lowering treatment have demonstrated that treatment considerably lowers the risk of stroke within a few years of starting treatment. However, there exists controversy about the most efficient treatment regimen for primary and secondary prevention of stroke among the different blood-pressure-lowering treatments. SUMMARY: Debate rages as to whether the benefits of treating high blood pressure are simply determined by the quality of blood-pressure control, or whether the choice of drug therapy adds or detracts from the expected benefits of blood-pressure reduction. The desirable future interventional comparative studies should consent to determine specific effects of drug classes on cardiovascular risk in the absence of the confounding effect of a relevant blood-pressure reduction that may counteract the potential blood-pressure-independent benefits of specific drug classes.

Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors↗
PubMed2004

Hypertensive renal damage in metabolic syndrome is associated with glucose metabolism disturbances.

Recent evidence highlights the relationship between metabolic syndrome (MS) and increased risk of cardiovascular (CV) diseases. Mild renal function abnormalities are associated with an enhanced CV risk, considered to be due to the presence of associated risk factors. Hence, MS and renal abnormalities could be linked and contribute to augment CV risk. For estimating the prevalence of diminished creatinine clearance (CC; <60 ml/min per 1.73 m(2)) in hypertensive patients with or without MS and for investigating the factors accompanying this abnormality, 1625 hypertensive patients, aged 18 yr or older, were included. The presence of MS was defined according to the Adult Treatment Panel III criteria. The overall prevalence of MS was 49.4% (n = 802). No significant difference was found for CC between those with and without MS, albeit the presence of MS was accompanied by greater urinary albumin excretion (P = 0.01). The prevalence of a diminished CC was also similar in the two groups. MS-positive patients presented a progressive decay in CC when classified as normoglycemic (n = 319), impaired fasting glucose (n = 237), and diabetic patients (n = 246; 85.9 +/- 30.2, 81.8 +/- 26.8, and 75.2 +/- 25.7 ml/min per 1.73 m(2), respectively; P = 0.0007 linearity test) and the opposite for microalbuminuria (29.5 +/- 45.5, 45.0 +/- 96.6, and 74.1 +/- 146.3 mg/24 h, respectively; P = 0.001 linearity test). In multiple regression analysis, factors related to the finding of a diminished CC in MS and non-MS patients were similar. Hypertensive patients at a relatively young age present with an elevated prevalence of minor abnormalities of renal function that is mostly related to the presence of metabolic alteration of glucose together with age and BP.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Development of chronic kidney disease and cardiovascular prognosis in essential hypertensive patients.

The existence of a significant percentage of treated hypertensive patients presenting a diminished renal function has been recently described. Mild renal function abnormalities are recognized as powerful predictors of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. However, longitudinal data demonstrating this association are lacking. The objectives of this study have been analysis of the evolution of GFR, assessed as creatinine clearance (CrCl), during long-term follow-up of hypertensive patients and evaluation of the impact of the development of chronic kidney disease (CKD) on cardiovascular prognosis. A historical cohort of 281 patients attending our Hypertension Unit was selected according to the following criteria: essential hypertension, more than 5 yr of follow-up, and normal GFR at baseline (CrCl > 90 ml/min per 1.73 m(2)). Patients had an average follow-up of 13.2 +/- 4.8 yr. Forty-one patients (14.6%) developed CKD (CrCl < 60 ml/min per 1.73 m(2)) attributed to hypertensive nephrosclerosis. Initial serum creatinine, age, systolic BP at baseline, and average total cholesterol during follow-up were independent predictors of CKD development. Forty-nine (17.4%) of 281 patients presented a cardiovascular event during follow-up: 17 patients (40.6%) who developed CKD and 32 patients (13.3%) with preserved renal function (log rank test P < 0.001). After adjustment in a Cox multivariate analysis, age, development of CKD during follow-up, and male gender were independent predictors of the appearance of cardiovascular events. In essential hypertensive patients with normal renal function at baseline, the development of CKD during the follow-up is strongly and independently related with poor cardiovascular prognosis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Effect of proteinuria and glomerular filtration rate on cardiovascular risk in essential hypertension.

Changes in renal function related with essential hypertension are associated with an elevated cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Indices of altered renal function (e.g., microalbuminuria, increased serum creatinine concentrations, decrease in estimated creatinine clearance or GFR, and overt proteinuria) are independent predictors of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The Framingham Heart Study documented the relevance of proteinuria for cardiovascular prognosis in the community. The INSIGHT Study assessed the role of proteinuria as a risk factor in essential hypertension. The presence of proteinuria at baseline turned out to be a very potent predictor for the development of cardiovascular events and death in patients with essential hypertension and one or more associated cardiovascular risk factors. Recent data indicate that minor derangements of renal function, including proteinuria, are associated, both in the community and in the hypertensive population, with the clustering of cardiovascular risk factors observed in metabolic syndrome that promote progression of atherosclerosis. Renal function has to be routinely evaluated in every hypertensive patient, and the presence of minor alterations considered in the stratification of cardiovascular risk in hypertensive patients.

Cardiovascular Diseases↗
PubMed2004

Novel antihypertensive agents.

Coronary heart disease and cerebrovascular disease continue to be the leading causes of illness and death among adults from developed countries. Their prevalence is strongly related to the effects of many different risk factors, including high blood pressure, cigarette smoking, dyslipidaemia and diabetes. The management of cardiovascular (CV) risk factors should be viewed as an integrated strategy of intervention aimed at correcting as many of the underlying causes of CV disease as possible. Blocking the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system with new, well-tolerated antihypertensive drugs, and blood pressure regulation by means of new drugs that also reduce plasma cholesterol levels or improve insulin resistance and glucose tolerance, could lead to a reduction of CV diseases.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Role of the selective aldosterone receptor blockers in arterial hypertension.

Aldosterone can cause cardiovascular injury in animals and men. The aldosterone blocker, spironolactone, has been shown to reduce mortality in patients with congestive heart failure. The use of this drug in arterial hypertension has been limited by the high frequency of adverse effects. Recently published data with a new aldosterone blocker, eplerenone, have confirmed the benefits of aldosterone blockade in patients post-myocardial infarction, as well as in the regression of left ventricular hypertrophy in hypertensive patients and of microalbuminuria in Type 2 diabetic patients. The fact that eplerenone is much better tolerated open the possibility of this therapy in cardiovascular, as well as in renal disease.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

Outcomes with nifedipine GITS or Co-amilozide in hypertensive diabetics and nondiabetics in Intervention as a Goal in Hypertension (INSIGHT).

To investigate the impact of treatment on cardiovascular mortality and morbidity, we assessed outcomes in patients with hypertension and diabetes who received co-amilozide or nifedipine in the International Nifedipine GITS Study: Intervention as a Goal in Hypertension. Participants had to be 55 to 80 years of age, with hypertension (> or =150/95 or > or =160 mm Hg) and at least one additional cardiovascular risk factor. Patients received 30 mg nifedipine once daily or co-amilozide (25 mg hydrochlorothiazide and 2.5 mg amiloride) daily. Doses were doubled if target blood pressures (<140/90 mm Hg) were not achieved. Primary (composite of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, heart failure, and stroke) and secondary outcomes (composite of primary outcomes, including all-cause mortality and death from vascular and nonvascular causes) were assessed by means of intent-to-treat analyses. There was no significant difference in the incidence of primary outcomes between nifedipine-treated and co-amilozide-treated patients with diabetes at baseline (n=1302) (8.3% versus 8.4%; relative risk, 0.99, 95% CI, 0.69 to 1.42; P=1.00). A significant benefit for nifedipine-treated patients was seen for the composite secondary outcome (14.2% versus 18.7%; relative risk, 0.76, 95% CI, 0.59 to 0.97; P=0.03). Among patients without diabetes at baseline (n=5019), there was a significant difference in the incidence of new diabetes (nifedipine 4.3% versus co-amilozide 5.6%, P=0.023). Nifedipine GITS once daily is as effective as diuretic therapy in reducing cardiovascular complications in hypertensive diabetics. Nifedipine-treated patients were also less likely to have diabetes or have secondary events (a composite of all-cause mortality, death from a vascular cause, and death from a nonvascular cause) than co-amilozide recipients. Our results suggest that nifedipine could be considered as first-line therapy for hypertensive diabetics.

Aged↗
PubMed2003

Lessons from trials in hypertensive type 2 diabetic patients.

There is incontrovertible evidence that association of type 2 diabetes with hypertension markedly increases the risk of cardiovascular events, death, and nephropathy. In type 2 diabetes, even blood pressure values usually considered below the threshold for hypertension (ie, 140/90 mm Hg) in nondiabetic subjects represent an additional risk of clinical relevance. Evidence that more intensive blood pressure lowering is beneficial in type 2 diabetes over less intensive lowering is also overwhelming. However, most published trials show the need for combination therapy in the great majority of patients, and even with combination therapy it is difficult to attain the expected goal blood pressure, in particular goal systolic blood pressure. It should be recognized that the systolic blood pressure goal of less than 130 mm Hg is a very difficult one to achieve in diabetics. Evidence of the superiority or inferiority of different drug classes is vague and contradictory. Recent evidence concerning angiotensin II receptor antagonists has shown a significant reduction of cardiovascular events, cardiovascular death, and total mortality when losartan was compared with atenolol, but not when irbesartan was compared with amlodipine. If renal endpoints are considered, evidence of the benefit of angiotensin II receptor antagonists in type 2 diabetes is more robust than that available with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors. Primary prevention of development of microalbuminuria seems to be greatly facilitated by strict blood pressure control. However, by attaining normal blood pressure levels (< 130/80 mm Hg), better preservation of glomerular filtration rate does not seem to be insured.

Angiotensin Receptor Antagonists↗
PubMed2003

How to titrate ACE inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers in renal patients: according to blood pressure or proteinuria?

The inhibition of the effects of angiotensin II is necessary to ensure the best degree of renal protection by the simultaneous control of blood pressure (BP) and the achievement of the maximal antiproteinuric capacity. The inhibition can be attained through the administration of either an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor or an angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB). Uptitration of antihypertensive therapy is frequently required to achieve the desired BP goal in patients presenting with renal disease, with or without proteinuria. Control of BP is good for both cardiovascular and renal protection. Sometimes, in particular when BP levels are high in the absence of therapy, the simple control of BP without inhibiting the renin- angiotensin system can be accompanied by a significant drop in proteinuria. On the other hand, the possibility that an ACE inhibitor or an ARB diminishes protein excretion in urine in the absence of changes in BP has been considered after the known evidence that these classes of drugs are renoprotective independently of their effect on BP control. The aim of this paper is to briefly review the evidence in favor of uptitration of either class of inhibitors of the renin-angiotensin system as compared with the combination of the two for the control of either BP or proteinuria.

Angiotensin Receptor Antagonists↗
PubMed2003

Losartan and other angiotensin II antagonists for nephropathy in type 2 diabetes mellitus: a review of the clinical trial evidence.

BACKGROUND: End-stage renal disease (ESRD) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) is associated with a bleak prognosis. The life span of patients with DM who have undergone renal transplantation or who are undergoing dialysis is up to 30% shorter than that of individuals in the general population. Preventing or delaying the progression of renal disease from microalbuminuria to nephropathy, and ultimately, to ESRD is thus a crucial goal of DM management. OBJECTIVE: This article reviews the growing worldwide problem of type 2 DM and ESRD, the renoprotective benefits of angiotensin II (AII) antagonists (AIIAs) such as losartan in patients with or without type 1 or 2 DM, potential mechanisms of renoprotection of AIIAs beyond blood pressure (BP) control, and the clinical-practice implications of available megatrials. METHODS: Articles included in this review were identified using a MEDLINE search for English-language studies published between 1990 and 2003 and included the search terms diabetic nephropathy, type 2 diabetes mellitus, microalbuminuria, proteinuria, angiotensin II antagonists, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, and cardiovascular disease. Articles describing major clinical trials, new data, or new mechanisms pertinent to the management of type 2 DM were selected for review. RESULTS: Currently, AIIAs such as losartan represent the only evidence-based treatment strategy for patients with type 2 DM and proteinuria. The Irbesartan in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes and Microalbuminuria (IRMA-2) study, the Reduction of End Points in Non-Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus with the Angiotensin II Antagonist Losartan (RENAAL) study, and the Irbesartan Type 2 Diabetic Nephropathy Trial (IDNT) indicate that AIIAs postpone the progression of type 2 diabetic renal disease at all stages, ranging from microproteinuria to overt nephropathy and ESRD, RENAAL showed that losartan improves renal outcomes in patients with type 2 DM and nephropathy over and above that attributable to BP control alone. The renoprotective effect of losartan corresponded to an average delay of 2 years in the need for dialysis or kidney transplantation. CONCLUSIONS: AIIAs such as losartan should perhaps be considered mandatory therapy in patients with diabetic nephropathy and should complement existing management strategies, such as reduced dietary protein intake, strict blood glucose control, and standard antihypertensive therapy. Collectively, these measures should improve survival and quality of life and reduce the health care burden of managing patients with diabetic nephropathy.

Albuminuria↗
PubMed2003

Recent developments in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus.

The last couple of decades have seen a great improvement in our understanding of risk factors in diabetes. In particular, a number of studies have demonstrated the major harmful role of hypertension in combination with diabetes. In a parallel development, pharmacological developments have greatly increased our ability to control both blood pressure and glycaemic exposure. This review focuses on hypertension as a risk factor and of the role of emerging therapies, in the light of their effects beyond the direct lowering of blood pressure. Agents that interfere with the renin-angiotensin system, particularly angiotensin-receptor blockers, may have particular benefits on end-organs in diabetic patients.

Antihypertensive Agents↗
PubMed2003

Hyperuricemia, low urine urate excretion and target organ damage in arterial hypertension.

BACKGROUND: Hyperuricemia can be the consequence of an increased urate production, a decreased renal excretion, or both. An increased prevalence of hyperuricemia has been described in essential hypertensive patients partly due to a decreased renal urinary urate excretion (UUE). Hyperuricemia has been shown to be associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease in hypertensive patients in some but not in all epidemiological studies in which this relationship has been investigated. OBJECTIVE: To assess the influence of low UUE in the association between serum urate, renal function and hypertension severity. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study was carried out in a sample of 677 male hypertensive patients, aged 35-60 years, with essential arterial hypertension consecutively attended in a hospital hypertension unit. The presence of hypertension-related organ damage at diagnosis was classified according to classical WHO criteria as grade 1, 2 or 3. Urate underexcretion was defined as 24-h urinary urate below the product serum urate x 100. RESULTS: Mean serum urate levels were 6.4 +/- 1.6 mg/dl in the total sample. Hyperuricemia (serum urate >7 mg/dl) was present in 28.5% of patients and only 17.0% had underexcretory hyperuricemia. This subgroup of patients exhibited the higher rate of hypertension-related target organ damage (TOD). A multivariate analysis, showed that underexcretory hyperuricemia but not hyperuricemia remained an independent predictor of TOD (odds ratio 2.5. 95% CI 1.6-3.89). Serum urate correlated positively with serum creatinine in hyperuricemic patients (r = 0.50, p < 0.001), but not in patients with underexcretory hyperuricemia (r = 0.21, p = 0.18). CONCLUSIONS: Underexcretory hyperuricemia is strongly related to hypertensive organ damage and this relationship does not seem to be mediated by a decreased renal function. This aspect could underline the predictive value of hyperuricemia independently of serum creatinine. UUE could improve the clinical predictive value of hyperuricemia as a cardiovascular risk factor.

Adult↗