Abstract
Direct Renin Inhibitors (DRIs) are a new class of medication, and are the first which block the rate-limiting step of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone-system (RAAS). Aliskiren, the first licensed orally active DRI, has been shown to be an effective antihypertensive agent. This review article outlines the pharmacological basis for DRI therapy, from discovery of the class to ongoing clinical trials and novel therapeutic applications of aliskiren.
Keywords: Renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, aliskiren, direct renin inhibitor, hypertension, Renin-Angiotensin System, Renin Inhibition, DRI therapy, blood pressure, arterial hypertension, angiotensin converting enzyme, angiotensin, cerebrovascular, hyponatraemia, macula densa, bradykinin, C-terminal Leu residue, proto-oncogene, Losarta, RENIN BLOCKADE, CGP 29 287, Remikiren, diastolic BP, antihypertensive response, hypercholesterolaemia, plasma aldosterone levels, Monotherapy Trials, Comparator Therapy Trials, type 2 diabetes, glomerular filtration, Aliskiren Nephropathy Trials, Chronic Heart Failure
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