RELATION OF LIPID ABNORMALITIES TO PROGRESSION OF RENAL DAMAGE IN ESSENTIAL-HYPERTENSION, INSULIN-DEPENDENT AND NON-INSULIN-DEPENDENT DIABETES-MELLITUS

Lipid abnormalities are common in diabetes mellitus and in essential h ypertension, but their contributions to diabetic and hypertensive neph ropathy are unclear. Relevant data from several clinical trials are su mmarized here, as is a longitudinal study of diabetes mellitus showing that cholesterol correlates with both angiotensin II and blood pressu re. The significant association of blood pressure and the renin-angiot ensin system with declining renal function provides a mechanism whereb y cholesterol may possibly impact adversely upon kidney function in di abetes.