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Published on: October 2, 2020
Hypertension in dialysis
Sergio F F Santos1, Aldo J Peixoto
1Division of Nephrology, State University of Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
Insights
Managing hypertension in dialysis patients is crucial for reducing cardiovascular mortality. Strategies like adjusting dialysate sodium and utilizing sympathetic nervous system blockers improve blood pressure control.
Area of Science:
- Nephrology
- Cardiology
- Internal Medicine
Background:
- Hypertension is a significant issue in dialysis patients, contributing to high cardiovascular mortality.
- Understanding dialysis-associated hypertension is key to improving patient outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review current management strategies for hypertension in dialysis patients.
- To explore recent findings and their impact on clinical practice.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of studies on dialysis-associated hypertension.
- Analysis of recent findings on dialysate sodium, sympathetic nervous system, and dialysis frequency.
Main Results:
- Decreasing dialysate sodium may help control hypertension.
- Sympathetic nervous system overactivity and renalase are implicated in hypertension pathogenesis.
- Sympathetic nervous system blocking drugs and daily dialysis improve blood pressure control.
Conclusions:
- Long-term hypertension control is essential for dialysis patients.
- Improved understanding of pathogenesis influences dialysis prescriptions and antihypertensive drug selection.
Purpose Of Review:
Hypertension is highly prevalent in dialysis patients and may be important to the high cardiovascular mortality of this population. This review shows the current direction in dialysis-associated hypertension management.
Recent Findings:
Decreasing dialysate sodium concentration based on pre-hemodialysis plasma sodium concentration may have an additive effect in controlling hypertension. Sympathetic nervous system overactivity is an important feature of end-stage renal disease; a new amine oxidase, renalase, may be relevant to the pathogenesis of hypertension in this population. Similarly, drugs that block the sympathetic nervous system are uniformly protective in dialysis patients. Daily dialysis (short or long) results in better blood pressure control, and the mechanisms resulting in this effect are increasingly better understood.
Summary:
Long-term control of hypertension is necessary in dialysis patients. The better understanding of the dialysis-associated hypertension pathogenesis has impact on the dialysis prescription and antihypertensive drug choices.
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