Study designs of evaluations included in the review
Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) with a minimum duration of 1 year were eligible for inclusion.
Specific interventions included in the review
Studies that compared an ACE inhibitor or an ARB with placebo or another antihypertensive agent were eligible for inclusion. The ACE inhibitors evaluated in the included studies were captopril, ramipril, enalapril, lisinopril and trandolapril. The ARBs evaluated in the included studies were losartan, candesartan and valsartan. Comparator antihypertensive agents were diuretics, beta-blockers or calcium-channel antagonists.
Participants included in the review
Studies of patients with a history of hypotension, or at least one cardiovascular risk factor, were eligible for inclusion. Some studies included patients with a diagnosis of diabetes at baseline, while some included those with conditions associated with high morbidity and mortality.
Outcomes assessed in the review
Studies that reported the incidence of new-onset diabetes were eligible for inclusion. Most of the studies used the American Diabetes Association's criteria to defined new-onset diabetes.
How were decisions on the relevance of primary studies made?
The authors did not state how the papers were selected for the review, or how many reviewers performed the selection.