The class of drugs known as ACE (angiotensin-converting enzyme) inhibitors, already shown to slow kidney disease among African-Americans with hypertension, have the additional advantage of reducing the risk of developing diabetes in blacks. That’s the conclusion of UAB nephrologist Denyse Thornley-Brown, MD, and colleagues in the current Archives of Internal Medicine.
“Historically, people felt ACE inhibitors were not beneficial to blacks, but our analysis of the large, ongoing African-American Study of Kidney Disease and Hypertension showed the ACE inhibitor ramipril to be half as likely to cause diabetes mellitus, compared to beta-blockers and calcium channel blockers.” Previous studies of ACE inhibitors in hypertensives did not differentiate effects based on race. Contact Hank Black, Media Relations, 205-934-8938 or hblack@uab.edu.
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