Background: Diabetic kidney disease is a life threatening and disabling complication of uncontrolled diabetes mellitus. Clinical proteinuria is a well-established marker of renal dysfunction. A dual L/N-type calcium channel blocker cilnidipine dilates the afferent and efferent arterioles of the glomerulus decreasing the intraglomerular pressure and showing antiproteinuric effects. The present study was conducted to assess the antiproteinuric efficacy of cilnidipine in patients of diabetic kidney disease.Methods: This interventional study was conducted on 50 patients of both genders aged 18 years and above with diabetic nephropathy (stage-2 to stage 4) visiting the medicine OPD at HIMS, Dehradun over a period of six months, the patients were given tablet cilnidipine (5-20 mg) once or twice a day. Baseline urine protein creatinine ratio (UPCR), serum creatinine and the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was recorded at baseline and repeated after a period of 12 weeks. The end point was the decrease in UPCR after a period of 12 weeks. Students-paired T test was used for analysing the intragroup data.Results: After 12 weeks of treatment with cilnidipine, a significant reduction was observed in the urinary protein creatine ratio (mean±SD) from 3.2±1.23 at baseline to 3.09±1.09 respectively (p<0.05). Along with this there was also a reduction in the in serum creatinine which was significant (p<0.05) as well as an increase in the eGFR value which was also statistically significant (p<0.001).Conclusions: Cilnidipine reduces the UPCR as well as improves the kidney function in patients with diabetic kidney disease.

Background: Hypertension is an important worldwide public health challenge. It has changed from a trivial cause of death and disability to one of the global burden diseases. The biggest obstacle for inadequate therapeutic control of blood pressure is meagre knowledge, poor attitude, inadequate treatment practices and lack of adherence towards antihypertensive treatment. The present study was planned to assess the awareness of hypertension on various aspects and to evaluate treatment adherence in hypertensive patients.Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 100 hypertensive patients of both genders visiting medicine OPD at HIMS, Dehradun over a period of six months. A structured and validated questionnaire was used to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) among patients. Morisky 8-Item Medication Adherence Questionnaire was used to assess the adherence towards antihypertensive medications. For statistical analysis Chi square test was used.Results: Out of the 100 patients the median KAP scores were 6(5),5(1) and 10(4) respectively. Most of the subjects had high median scores on attitude but majority of the subjects had low knowledge and self-care practice scores. Further Analysis of data revealed that a poor score in self-care practice was significantly associated to the gender(p<0.004) as well as to the level of education(p<0.006).Only 40% patients were adherent to their medication, this result was statistically associated with the level of education (p<0.00001).Conclusions: Hypertensive patients in our community have good attitude but poor knowledge and self-care practices towards management of hypertension. Patients were also found to be non-adherent to their antihypertensive medications.