Halting progression of renal failure: Consideration beyond angiotensin II inhibition

In summary, a number of non-renal factors such as obesity, poorly controlled hypertension and diabetes, smoking, genetic and racial factors and factors involving socioeconomic status, educational achievement and health care access contribute to renal failure progression. The overall clinical finding that angiotensin inhibition slows the rate of progression is heartening. However, the use of angiotensin inhibition should not lessen the importance of rigorous control of systemic factors such as hyperglycaemia, hypertension, smoking and obesity and should not lessen the additional focus required on certain groups of vulnerable patients.