Episode 331: 329. Should We Give AceI or ARBs to Patients with CKD 4 and 5?

https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/M23-3236

Angiotensin-converting–enzyme (ACE) inhibitors or angiotensin-receptor blockers (ARBs) seldom are initiated among patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) stage 4 or 5, despite guideline recommendations for these agents--- 2017 ACC/AHA/AAPA/ABC/ACPM/AGS/APhA/ASH/ASPC/NMA/PCNA Guideline for the Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Management of High Blood Pressure in Adults: A Report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Clinical Practice Guidelines - ScienceDirect

“In adults with hypertension and CKD (stage 3 or higher or stage 1 or 2 with albuminuria [≥300 mg/d, or ≥300 mg/g albumin-to-creatinine ratio or the equivalent in the first morning void]), treatment with an ACE inhibitor is reasonable to slow kidney disease progression “

Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors or Angiotensin-Receptor Blockers for Advanced Chronic Kidney Disease: A Systematic Review and Retrospective Individual Participant–Level Meta-analysis of Clinical Trials: Annals of Internal Medicine: Vol 177, No 7 (acpjournals.org)

In a patient-level meta-analysis of 18 randomized trials, researchers identified 1700 patients with stage 4 or 5 CKD to determine if initiating ACE inhibitors or ARBs affected progression to dialysis or death. follow-up ≈3 years.

Patients with CKD stage 4 or 5 (mean eGFR, 22 mL/minute/1.73 m2) who initiated ACE inhibitors or ARBs (vs. placebo or other antihypertensive agents) were less likely to progress to dialysis (12% vs. 17% annually; number needed to treat, 20), mortality was similar (≈3% annually).