Treatment of patients with essential hypertension and microalbuminuria

There has been increasing interest in the question of whether microalbuminuria can be used in the risk stratification of patients with essential hypertension. A cluster of cardiovascular and/or renal risk factors may be associated with microalbuminuria in hypertension. Despite this, prospective data about the potential role of microalbuminuria as a prognostic marker of cardiovascular and/or renal risk have been sparse and inconclusive until now. Blood pressure values have been considered the most important determinant of microalbuminuria in essential hypertension; however, hyperinsulinaemia - a metabolic component - was noted to be present in conjunction with high blood pressure. Furthermore, 2 other factors may be also related to microalbuminuria: salt sensitivity and renal structural changes (nephrosclerosis). We are now aware that the clinical and physiological implications of abnormal urinary albumin excretion (UAE) are much broader than anticipated, possibly involving haemodynamic, metabolic and vascular components overlapping several clinical syndromes. Achievement of short term UAE reduction with antihypertensive treatment depends on structural abnormalities established in the glomerulus, the extent of blood pressure reduction and the antihypertensive drug class used. In terms of UAE reduction, better results are obtained with ACE inhibitors or angiotensin II antagonists such as losartan and valsartan, than with other antihypertensive classes, although their true impact in preserving renal function needs to be assessed. The capacity of new calcium antagonists, such as amlodipine, lacidipine or mibefradil, to reduce UAE also needs to be assessed further. Thus, microalbuminuria maybe seen as an integrated marker of risk and should be assessed in recently diagnosed patients with essential hypertension. In microalbuminuric patients, the target should be to decrease blood pressure <135/85mm Hg, reduce salt intake to around 100 mmol/day and prescribe a low-calorie diet if obesity is present. ACE inhibitors or angiotensin II antagonists have more potential benefits than the other classes of antihypertensive drugs in reducing UAE. Finally, a yearly assessment of microalbuminuria is recommended during treatment, to monitor the impact of therapy.