DIABETIC VASCULAR HYPERTROPHY AND ALBUMINURIA - EFFECT OF ANGIOTENSIN-CONVERTING ENZYME-INHIBITION

The role of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibition with ramipr il on mesenteric vascular hypertrophy and urinary albumin excretion wa s explored in a normotensive model of experimental diabetes. Serial me asurements of albuminuria were performed in Sprague-Dawley control, di abetic rats, and diabetic rats treated with ramipril. Over 24 weeks, u rinary albumin excretion showed a continuous rise in the untreated dia betic rats. Ramipril prevented the increase in albuminuria over the wh ole study period. After 6 months, animals were perfused with glutarald ehyde and sacrificed for measurement of mesenteric vessel wall/lumen r atio and kidney weight, Diabetes was associated with increased mesente ric wall/lumen ratio and kidney weight. ACE inhibition, despite no eff ect on glycemic control, attenuated mesenteric vascular hypertrophy bu t did not decrease kidney weight. In addition to the well-described re noprotective effects of ACE inhibition in diabetes, this class of agen ts may have a favorable effect on diabetic vascular disease.