Development of chronic kidney disease in essential hypertension during long-term therapy

Area of Science:

• Nephrology
• Cardiology
• Internal Medicine

Background:

• Hypertension is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
• Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is increasingly recognized as a significant contributor to cardiovascular prognosis.
• Long-term hypertensive patients are a key population for studying the interplay between renal and cardiovascular health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the relevance of developing chronic kidney disease in long-term hypertensive patients.
• To assess the impact of CKD on the cardiovascular prognosis of hypertensive individuals.
• To highlight the importance of renal function assessment in cardiovascular risk stratification.

Main Methods:

• Review of recently published guidelines and literature.
• Analysis of the role of renal function assessment (e.g., glomerular filtration rate, serum creatinine) in risk stratification.
• Examination of associated risk factors and their contribution to cardiovascular risk.

Main Results:

• CKD is now recognized in guidelines for risk stratification in hypertensive patients.
• Adequate assessment of renal function, including estimated glomerular filtration rate, is mandatory for evaluating cardiovascular risk.
• Elevated serum creatinine is a potent predictor of poor cardiovascular prognosis.
• Associated risk factors contribute to the elevated cardiovascular risk in hypertensive patients with mild renal impairment.

Conclusions:

• CKD significantly increases cardiovascular risk, often due to co-existing metabolic syndrome risk factors.
• The high prevalence of CKD in hypertensive populations necessitates integrated therapeutic strategies.
• Simultaneous protection of both renal and cardiovascular systems is essential for comprehensive patient care.