Clinical therapeutics
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Clinical therapeutics · Dec 2003
ReviewLosartan and other angiotensin II antagonists for nephropathy in type 2 diabetes mellitus: a review of the clinical trial evidence.
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. ⋯ 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.