Calcium Antagonists and Renal Protection

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Abstract
A growing body of evidence supports the notion that calcium antagonists exert a renal protective effect. Calcium antagonists may play an important future role in renal hemodynamics related to their reversal of renal vasoconstrictors. Calcium antagonists are also capable of blocking intracellular calcium overload induced by various types of ischemia or toxic stimuli. Features such as these may be of substantial value in ameliorating acute renal insufficiency secondary to renal ischemia, iodinated radiographic contrast media, or the administration of various nephrotoxic drugs. The latter includes agents such as the aminoglycoside antibiotics, cyclosporine A, and the cancer chemotherapeutic agent cisplatin. Recent prospective, controlled studies from our group indicate that calcium antagonists protected against postischemic acute renal failure in the setting of cadaveric renal transplantation. Moreover, in a prospective, randomized, controlled clinical trial, we were able to demonstrate that the prophylactic use of nitrendipine reduced the decrease in GFR in patients receiving radiographic contrast agents. Such protection may extend to favorably influencing the course of chronic renal insufficiency, particularly when the latter is complicated by hypertension. Seven putative mechanisms have been proposed by which calcium antagonists may ameliorate the decline in GFR associated with renal insufficiency. These are: (a) reduction in blood pressure per se, (b) reduction in renal hypertrophy, (c) modulation of mesangial traffic of macromolecules, (d) reduction in metabolic activity in remnant renal tissue, (e) amelioration of uremic nephrocalcinosis, (f) reduction of pressure-induced calcium entry into vessel walls, and (g) reduction of free radical formation. Experimental investigations in rats with reduced renal mass, desoxycorticosterone-induced hypertension, or chronic angiotensin II infusion, and in spontaneously hypertensive rats support such a view. In three cross-over trials, calcium antagonists reduced proteinuria in patients with type II diabetes mellitus. Preliminary data from a single prospective trial in patients with renal insufficiency offer additional support for a “renoprotective” effect. However, definitive conclusions cannot be reached without further, prospective clinical trials.