Abstract
The enzyme inhibitors converting angiotensin I are the drugs of first choice in hypertonic patients with metabolic syndrome and diabetes. The ACEI therapy reduces the macrovascular and microvascular diabetes complications, and enhances both the sensitivity to insulin and metabolism of glucose.
Recent studies demonstrate that the ACEI therapy reduces the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus in patients with essential hypertension (i.e. in patients with a high prevalence of insulin resistance). ACEI therapy also improves biomarkers of cardiovascular diseases (vascular elasticity, NO production dependent on endothelium, plasmatic biomarkers of inflammation, oxidative stress and thrombosis), reduces the prevalence of cardiovascular disease and the cerebrovascular episodes and the progress of renal damage.
This article draws attention to potential mechanisms that reduce the prevalence of cardiovascular and renal diseases and prevent the progress of diabetes.