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New class of agents for treatment of hypertension: Focus on direct renin inhibition

Authors Fogari R, Zoppi A

Published 1 October 2010 Volume 2010:6 Pages 869—882

DOI https://doi.org/10.2147/VHRM.S4189

Review by Single anonymous peer review

Peer reviewer comments 3



Roberto Fogari, Annalisa Zoppi
Department of Internal Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Pavia, Italy

Abstract: Aliskiren, the first orally active direct renin inhibitor, is an effective antihypertensive drug with distinctive characteristics, including good blockade of the renin-angiotensin system, a prolonged duration of action, pharmacologic effects that persist after drug discontinuation, and favorable tolerability comparable with placebo. The blood pressure-lowering effect of aliskiren monotherapy is similar, if not superior, to that of other first-line antihypertensive agents, and is greatly enhanced when aliskiren is combined with various other antihypertensive medications, without any adverse drug interactions. Aliskiren is also an effective and well tolerated therapy in special populations, including diabetic, obese, and elderly hypertensives. Beyond its blood pressure-lowering efficacy, results from experimental and clinical trials suggest that aliskiren has positive effects on markers of cardiovascular and renal damage. The ASPIRE (Aliskiren Study in Post-MI patients to Reduce rEmodelling) HIGHER clinical trials program is further assessing whether the promising pharmacologic properties of aliskiren translate into reduced risk of adverse cardiovascular and renal outcomes.

Keywords: aliskiren, renin inhibitors, hypertension, treatment

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