ACE and kidney failure: However, reasons for the decline might include reductions in risk factors for kidney failure (e.g., hyperglycemia and hypertension) in the diabetic population or better treatment of kidney disease, including the use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin-receptor blockers, which slow the decline in kidney function in addition to lowering blood pressure, thus delaying the onset of ESRD-D (6).