[Cardiovascular complications in patients with chronic renal insufficiency and chronic kidney failure]

Patients with chronic renal failure have, as compared with age-matched controls with normal renal function, a markedly higher cardiovascular mortality. The reason is probably accelerated atherosclerosis and left ventricular hypertrophy as a result of accumulation of "classical" cardiovascular risk factors and the presence of some risk factors relatively specific for "uraemia" (e.g. anaemia, hyperhydratation, dyslipidaemia). It is assumed that the reversibility of left ventricular hypertrophy is limited in chronic renal failure due to more marked myocardial fibrosis ("uraemic cardiomyopathy"). Its regression can be achieved by treatment of hypertension with inhibitors of angiotensin converting enzyme with a positive effect on cardiovascular mortality. Regression of left ventricular hypertrophy occurs also in some patients after renal transplantation. Treatment of anaemia reduces the risk of progressive left ventricular dilatation. The cardiovascular risk increases probably already a relatively slight decline of glomerular filtration which need not lead to a significant rise of serum creatinine. The cardiovascular risk obviously increases further with progression of chronic renal insufficiency. Patients with a reduced renal function and chronic renal insufficiency have lower target blood pressure and should have also lower target values e.g. of serum cholesterol. Therapeutic procedures in these patients should not be focused only on a slower progression of chronic renal insufficiency but also on reduction of their high cardiovascular risk.