Aliskiren - the first oral renin inhibitor for treating hypertension

Aliskiren is the first of a new class of antihypertensive drugs, direct renin inhibitors, that acts by blocking the renin (suppresses plasma renin activity by about 75%). Despite a low bioactivalabilyty (about 3%) this drug effectively reduced blood pressure in cause its long (20-40 h) half-time. Aliskiren was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in march 2007, and in Europe in August 2007 for the treatment of hypertension. Aliskiren can be used in monotherapy or in combinations with other antihypertensives drugs. Aliskiren at a dosage of 150 or 300 mg daily may be a good option for control hypertension in patients in whom first-line antihypertensives were not efficacious. Combinated with tiazide diuretics, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) and angiotensin receptor blokers (ARBs) aliskiren was more efficacious antihypertensive agent. Clinical trials indicate cardioprotective and renoprotective effects. In ALOFT trial aliskiren reduced symptoms of heart failure, in ALLAY trial reduced left ventricular hypertrophy, and in AVOID trial reduced microalbuminury in patients with hypertension and diabetic type 2. The most common adverse is diarrhea after higher doses of aliskiren. Another like headache, fatigue, dizziness, and nasopharyngitis were no more common like by placebo.