Efficacy and tolerability of angiotensin II type 1 receptor antagonists indialysis patients using AN69 dialysis membranes

Aims and Methods: Our aim was to evaluate the antihypertensive efficacy and tolerability of angiotensin II type 1 (AT(1)) receptor antagonists. Valsar tan or candesartan cilexetil was administered to 11 dialysis patients with elevated blood pressure. The patients (6 male, 5 female; mean age +/- SD 61 +/- 11 years) were on regular bicarbonate hemodialysis three times weekly for more than 3 months using acrylonitrile and sodium methallyl sulfonate c opolymer (AN69) dialysis membranes. Results: Within 252 days after administ ration of the ATI receptor antagonists the systolic blood pressure was sign ificantly reduced from 161+/-13 to 130+/-12 mm Hg (p<0.001), whereas the di astolic blood pressure did not change significantly (76+/-8 vs. 71+/-8 mmHg ; p>0.05). In addition, heart rate (75+/-7 vs. 80+/-9/min), body weight, an d laboratory variables (hemoglobin, creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, serum potassium, serum sodium, serum calcium, and total protein) showed no signif icant changes. During 1,188 hemodialysis sessions using AN69 membranes, no hypersensitivity reactions occurred after administration of AT1 receptor an tagonists. Conclusion: The results indicate that once-daily administration of AT1 receptor antagonists efficiently reduces the systolic blood pressure in hemodialysis patients. Copyright (C) 2001 S. Karger AG, Basel.