Summary

The addition of aliskiren, a novel direct renin inhibitor that lowers plasma renin activity, to standard therapy (an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor or an angiotensin receptor blocker) did not improve outcomes for people with type 2 diabetes and renal impairment who are at high risk for cardiovascular and renal events. This finding is among the preliminary results of Aliskiren Trial in Type 2 Diabetes Using Cardio-Renal Endpoints [ALTITUDE; NCT00549757], which was stopped early in December 2011 because of futility and a high rate of adverse events in the aliskiren group.