New research by McMaster associate professor of medicine Hertzel Gerstein and colleagues, published in the Jan. 20 issue of The Lancet, concludes that the risk of cardiovascular disease among people with diabetes is significantly reduced by the action of the drug Ramipril. Ramipril is an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor.

The researchers, investigators with the Heart Outcomes Prevention Evaluation (HOPE) study, found the risk of cardiovascular and renal disease is greatly increased in people who have diabetes mellitus.

Ramipril could lower the risk of cardiovascular events and damage to the renal system in high risk patients.