Editorial - Is there a need for direct renin inhibitors?

Hypertension is one of the major risk factors for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Lowering blood pressure (BP) may reduce the risk of stroke by 40% and the risk of ischemic heart disease by 20%. Despite the varied drugs available to lower BP, more than 50% of the hypertensive patients are not well-controlled. The major reason for the failure to control BP is noncompliance which is related to the side effects and inconvenience of drug administration. Aliskiren, a new oral direct renin inhibitor is very effective in BP reduction. It is given once daily and has very few side effects, almost like a placebo. It is well combined with diuretics, angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and calcium channel blockers. Unlike ACE inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers that block the renin angiotensin axis in its last part and thereby raise the rein-levels, the direct renin inhibitor block the renin-angiotensin axis in its beginning and keep the renin levels suppressed. Aliskiren is a promising agent but further prospective studies with morbidity and mortality data as endpoints are required, before the drug can be recommended as a first choice agent.