Abstract

ROLE OF ARBS IN THE MANAGEMENT OF HYPERTENSION, CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES, RENOPROTECTION AND NEUROPROTECTION

Afshan Siddiq*, Hafiza Amna Batool and Sadia Ghousia Baig

ABSTRACT

The angiotensin II receptor blockers are well tolerated and highly beneficial antihypertensive therapy. They have ability to control blood pressure for 24 hours and administer only once a day. Efficacy and other clinical characteristics of ARBs are almost same and there is no significant difference. Several clinical trial have showed that angiotensin receptor blockers reduced mortality and morbidity associated with hypertension, diabetic mellitus, diabetic nephropathy, heart failure, myocardial infarction, stroke, atrial fibrillation, end stage kidney disease and hypertension with left ventricular hypertrophy. They provide beneficial effects in erectile dysfunction, protection of cognitive function as well as restoration of cognitive decline. ARBs are developed in 1995 to overcome the several deficiencies of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor. ARBs are given as an alternative to ACE inhibitor intolerant patients. ACE inhibitor causes cough and angioedema which are found less common in ARB. Compare with ACE inhibitor ARBs have overall lower withdrawal rate because of adverse events as compare to ACE inhibitor. ARBs is superior to ACE inhibitor because of fewer side effect but provide equal outcome efficacy for the treatment of hypertension or its compelling indications. ARBs may be prescribed as monotherapy for achieving blood pressure goal in initial stage and as well as add on- antihypertensive therapy. They may also give as a single pill fix dose combination of two or three agents by reducing their doses. Additive antihypertensive effects are observed when ARBs are given in combination with thiazide diuretics, calcium channel blocker and renin inhibitor.

Keywords: angiotensin receptor blockers, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor, hypertension, stroke, heart failure, myocardial infarction, diabetic nephronathy, end stage renal disease, erectile dysfunction, cognitive function, antihypertensive effects.