Study Links DCCBs to 33% Higher Kidney Event Risk in Type 2 Diabetes
Updated
Updated · Medical News Today · Jun 7
Study Links DCCBs to 33% Higher Kidney Event Risk in Type 2 Diabetes
3 articles · Updated · Medical News Today · Jun 7
Summary
31,041 adults with type 2 diabetes taking RAS inhibitors and SGLT2 drugs were analyzed, and DCCB users showed a 33% higher risk of major adverse kidney events than patients on other add-on blood pressure drugs.
3.5 years of median follow-up captured 482 major kidney events; 11,841 patients received DCCBs and 19,200 received non-DCCB antihypertensives.
Researchers said the finding is clinically important because DCCBs are widely used as second- or third-line therapy when first-line kidney-protective treatment does not fully control blood pressure.
The study was presented at the European Renal Association Congress and has not yet been peer-reviewed, with outside diabetes specialists warning that residual confounding and indication bias could still explain part of the signal.
The results contrast with a 2022 study that suggested DCCBs might lower advanced kidney disease risk, leaving clinicians awaiting replication before any guideline changes.
New study flags kidney risk. Should doctors rethink a popular blood pressure drug for diabetes?
Is a common blood pressure drug secretly damaging the kidneys of diabetes patients?
Major Kidney Risk Identified: Dihydropyridine Calcium-Channel Blockers Associated with 33% Higher Adverse Events in Diabetes (June 2026)
Overview
This report raises an urgent alert about the potential risks of dihydropyridine calcium-channel blockers (DCCBs) on kidney health. Researchers are investigating how DCCBs, commonly used for high blood pressure, may damage the kidneys by relaxing the blood vessels leading into the kidneys (afferent arterioles) but not those carrying blood out (efferent arterioles). This imbalance can increase pressure inside the kidneys, possibly leading to organ damage over time. The findings highlight the need for patients and clinicians to be aware of these risks while further research clarifies the safest treatment options.