The drug Benicar (olmesartan) appeared to reduce blood pressure in patients with type 2 diabetes as well as to improve kidney perfusion. The study, reported in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (February 2005), involved 35 patients with the disease. The researchers looked at the effect of 12 weeks of treatment with olmesartan. The findings showed a significant drop in blood pressure in the olmesartan group, compared with little change in the placebo group.

The blood pressure medication also enhanced blood flow through the kidneys. Reporting on the findings, the researchers said that particular biomarkers in the patients treated with the drug suggested that ongoing treatment may prevent kidney damage not only by direct blood-flow effects but also by decreasing inflammation.