Abstract
The first renin inhibitor, aliskiren, will soon enter the clinical arena. This review summarizes the potential differences between renin inhibitors and the currently existing blockers of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) [ie, the ACE inhibitors and the angiotensin II type 1 (AT(1)) receptor antagonists], taking also into consideration the recently discovered (pro)renin receptor. This receptor not only activates the inactive precursor of renin, prorenin, but it also exerts direct renin/prorenin-induced effects, independently of angiotensin. The review ends with a brief overview of the available (pre)clinical aliskiren data and a description of its safety profile.
MeSH terms
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Amides / administration & dosage
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Amides / adverse effects
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Amides / pharmacology
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Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers / pharmacology
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Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers / therapeutic use
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Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / pharmacology
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Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / therapeutic use
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Animals
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Antihypertensive Agents / administration & dosage
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Antihypertensive Agents / adverse effects
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Antihypertensive Agents / pharmacology*
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Drug Delivery Systems
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Fumarates / administration & dosage
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Fumarates / adverse effects
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Fumarates / pharmacology
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Humans
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Hypertension / drug therapy*
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Prorenin Receptor
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Receptors, Cell Surface / drug effects
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Renin / antagonists & inhibitors*
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Renin-Angiotensin System / drug effects*
Substances
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Amides
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Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers
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Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors
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Antihypertensive Agents
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Fumarates
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Receptors, Cell Surface
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aliskiren
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Renin
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Prorenin Receptor