In theory, a drug that inhibits the renin-angiotensin system in order to lower blood pressure and acts as a PPARgamma agonist to increase insulin sensitivity, could be very useful in the treatment of coexisting Type 2 diabetes and hypertension. Telmisartan is an angiotensin Type 1 (AT(1))-receptor antagonist being used in the treatment of hypertension. Recent studies suggest that telmisartan is also a partial PPARgamma agonist. In an animal model of insulin resistance, telmisartan lowered serum levels of glucose, insulin and triglycerides, and body weight. Thus, telmisartan, an AT(1)-receptor antagonist and PPARgamma agonist, represents the prototype of a new approach to treating coexisting diabetes and hypertension, which needs to be evaluated clinically.
