Pharmacological interventions into the renin–angiotensin system with ACE inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor antagonists: effects beyond blood pressure lowering

Hypertension is recognized as an important risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Lowering of blood pressure has been shown to minimize the risk of cardiovascular events, with the majority of antihypertensives demonstrating a similar ability to reduce coronary events and stroke for a given reduction in blood pressure. Agents that modify the activity of the renin–angiotensin system (RAS) have been proposed to exhibit additional effects that might go beyond simple blood pressure lowering. The RAS is a crucial system that regulates extracellular fluid volume and blood pressure. Proposed potential benefits of RAS blockade that go beyond blood pressure lowering include a reduction in platelet aggregation and thrombosis, blunting of cardiac and vascular remodeling, favorable metabolic effects and reno- and cerebro-protection. However, factors such as treatment adherence, duration of action of antihypertensive agents and differences in effects on central versus brachial blood pressure may also result in apparent differences in efficacy of different antihypertensives. The aim of this review article is to examine the available data from clinical studies of antihypertensive drugs for evidence of effects that might legitimately be claimed to go beyond simple blood pressure lowering.