An overview of the effects of combination therapy with a renin-angiotensin system blocker plus a calcium channel blocker on glucose homeostasis in non-diabetic hypertensive patients

Arterial hypertension (AH) is a major cardiovascular risk factor and often coexists with insulin resistance. Insulin resistance impairs glucose homeostasis and has been associated with the development of new-onset type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D). Overactivity of renin-angiotensin system (RAS) mediated by angiotensin II adversely affects glucose homeostasis. The blockade of RAS with the use of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEi) or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) has been associated with beneficial effects on glucose metabolism. On the other hand, calcium channel blockers (CCBs) have been reported to exert a metabolic neutral effect. By contrast, the use of diuretics and beta-blockers has been shown to have an overall negative effect on glucose metabolism. Current ESH/ESC treatment guidelines recommend the use of fixed single-pill combinations of RAS blockers with either CCBs or thiazide/thiazide-like diuretics in hypertensive patients with grade 1 AH and high cardiovascular risk, or greater. Nonetheless, considering the patient’s medical history and comorbidities, antihypertensive treatment should be carefully tailored. To this, hypertensive patients at risk of developing new-onset T2D, with impaired fasting glucose (IFG) or impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), should be preferentially treated with either monotherapy or combined treatment using agents which do not affect or worsen glucose homeostasis.