The Application of ARB for Treating Hypertensive Nephropathy

It has been found that ARB (angiotensin receptor blocker) has good effects on lowering high blood pressure and protecting kidney functions and it has been applied to treat many diseases such as hypertension, artery diseases, cardiac hypertrophy, heart failure, kidney diseases.

We know that hypertensive nephropathy is kidney damage caused by long term high blood pressure and ARB can both treat high blood pressure and protect kidney functions.

1. Treating high blood pressure. ARB is a safe anti-hypertension medicine and it can also reduce the risk of heart diseases and encephalopathy. It can improve the insulin-resistance as well as protecting heart, brain, kidneys and other organs. Losartan can also promote the excretion of uric acid and lower the possibility of hyperuricemia and hyperuricemia nephropathy.

2. Protecting kidney functions. ARB can help reduce proteinuria and it can be applied to all chronic kidney diseases that have proteinuria including diabetic nephropathy. What is more, it can protect kidney function in the early stage.

3. Preventing and treating left ventricular hypertrophy. Hypertension will cause left ventricular hypertrophy which will increase the morbidity and mortality of cardiovascular diseases.

4. Treating heart failure. Losartan and valsartan can be used to treat chronic syustolic heart failure including acute myocardial infarction companied with heart failure. ARB has especially good effects on those that can not bear ACEI.

What are the adverse reactions of ARB?

ARB has relatively few adverse reactions; patients might have dizziness, headache, and fatigue, and hypotension, increase of serum creatinine and blood potassium.

Some notes that patients need to pay attention to:

Those that have serious shortage of blood volume and low blood sodium have the risk of hypotension. And patients of severe renal insufficiency, renal artery stenosis, biliary cirrhosis or biliary obstruction should have more caution and ask for the doctors’ permission and guidance before taking the medicines.