Can diabetic neuropathy be prevented by angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors?
The incidence of diabetes and its complications is increasing to staggering proportions. Presently the WHO estimates an overall prevalence of 130 million, but by 2025 there will be 300 million individuals with diabetes mellitus. The incidence of diabetic neuropathy approaches 50% in most diabetic populations; there is no treatment, and its consequences in the form of foot ulceration and amputation are financially punishing for health care providers. Attempts to develop treatments have faltered for want of an understanding of the aetiology of diabetic neuropathy. As a consequence, 1999 saw the demise of two further compounds: recombinant growth factor by Roche-Genentech and the aldose reductase inhibitor zopolrestat, by Pfizer, both had reached phase III clinical trials. They joined an impressive list of at least 30 other compounds which have reached phase III clinical trials and failed to establish efficacy. The need to establish a viable treatment for human diabetic neuropathy is abso
Related Questions
- Combination pharmacologic therapies for heart failure: what next after angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and beta-blockers?
- SHOULD ALL PATIENTS WITH TYPE 1 DIABETES MELLITUS AND MICROALBUMINURIA RECEIVE ANGIOTENSIN-CONVERTING ENZYME INHIBITORS?
- are there differences between structurally different angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors?
