The calcium channel blocker controversy in patients with diabetic nephropathy: Is there an issue?

Abstract

Chronic renal failure, proteinuria, and arterial hypertension run in parallel in the presence of diabetic nephropathy. New goal blood pressure levels have been established in diabetic patients: 130/85 mm Hg and 125/75 mm Hg depending on the level of proteinuria being below or above 1 g/d. New and lower threshold blood pressure (>130/85 mm Hg) to initiate pharmacologic therapy is required in the presence of diabetes mellitus in order to facilitate the strict blood pressure control that is required. It must be considered that both renal and cardiovascular protection are obtained with strict blood pressure control, which otherwise seems to require blockade of angiotensin II effects when proteinuria above 1 g/d is present. While awaiting the publication of long-term follow-up studies looking at renal and cardiovascular outcome in diabetic and other nephropathies in which calcium channel blockers are compared with other antihypertensive drugs, calcium channel blockers will remain the drugs needed to attain the expected goal blood pressure in diabetics, both alone (in the absence of microalbuminuria or macroalbuminuria) or in combination, particularly with angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors.