While the bulk of the existing data are in diabetic renal disease, there are some animal and clinical studies that compare the effects of angiotensin I (AT-1) receptor antagonists to angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors in renal disease of nondiabetic origin. Based on these data, preservation of renal function and morphology occurs with AT-1 receptor antagonists in animal models where renal injury is hemodynamically mediated such as in the remnant kidney. Conversely, in non-hemodynamically mediated renal injury such as in puromycin nephrosis, AT-1 receptor antagonists have not consistently protected against declines in glomerular filtration rate or development of interstitial fibrosis. This may, however, be related to dosage, since high doses of AT-1 receptor antagonists show some protection against progression in these models. It is too early, however, to make judgments regarding the clinical impact of the AT-1 receptor antagonists on progression of nondiabetic renal disease. The result of the ELITE trial support the concept that progression of renal dysfunction associated with heart failure is ameliorated to a similar extent between ACE inhibitors and the AT-1 receptor antagonist, losartan. The AT-1 receptor antagonist group also had fewer side effects including the absence of cough as well as a lower, albeit not statistically significant, incidence of hyperkalemia. Thus, the emerging database supports the concept that AT-1 receptor antagonists have an efficacy similar to ACE inhibitors for preserving renal function and morphology in hemodynamically mediated renal injury. It is unclear, however, whether this drug class will reduce immunologically-mediated renal injury.