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Assessment of Vascular Function in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease
Published on: June 16, 2014
Hypertension management: special considerations in chronic kidney disease patients
1Division of Nephrology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, S-3223 MCN, Nashville, TN 37232-2372, USA. julia.lewis@vanderbilt.edu
Insights
Managing hypertension in chronic kidney disease (CKD) is crucial. Effective blood pressure control in CKD patients can help reduce cardiovascular risks and slow kidney disease progression.
Area of Science:
- Nephrology
- Cardiology
- Hypertension Management
Background:
- Chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects 11% of US adults.
- Hypertension prevalence increases with declining renal function.
- Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in CKD patients.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the challenges and strategies for managing hypertension in CKD patients.
- To emphasize the importance of blood pressure control for cardiovascular and renal outcomes in CKD.
Main Methods:
- Review of current guidelines and literature on hypertension in CKD.
- Discussion of preferred antihypertensive agents and adjunctive therapies.
- Analysis of the impact of blood pressure management on mortality and disease progression.
Main Results:
- CKD significantly increases mortality risk, primarily due to cardiovascular disease.
- Lowering blood pressure is recommended to reduce cardiovascular mortality and slow renal disease progression.
- Multiple antihypertensive agents, including renin-angiotensin system blockers, diuretics, and calcium channel blockers, are often required.
Conclusions:
- Optimal blood pressure management is essential for improving outcomes in hypertensive CKD patients.
- Recognizing the unique aspects of treating hypertension in CKD can help delay end-stage renal disease and cardiovascular events.
- Multidrug regimens are frequently necessary to achieve blood pressure targets in this population.
Abstract:
It has been estimated that approximately 11% of the US adult population has chronic kidney disease (CKD), and it has been demonstrated that the prevalence of hypertension rises significantly as renal function declines. Even mild CKD significantly increases mortality risk, and cardiovascular disease remains the main cause of death among these patients. Although CKD patients have generally been excluded from trials testing the effect of lowering blood pressure on cardiovascular outcomes, guidelines suggest lowering blood pressure in hopes of reducing cardiovascular mortality and slowing the progression of renal disease. The preferred antihypertensive agents among these patients are drugs that block the renin-angiotensin system. In most hypertensive CKD patients, however, multiple agents are necessary to reach blood pressure targets. In general, diuretics and calcium channel blockers are added subsequently as adjunctive therapy. Hopefully, with increased recognition of the unique aspects of treating hypertension in this population, end-stage renal disease and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality will be delayed or avoided in the millions of patients with CKD.
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