Hypertension in renal allograft recipients

Hypertension is a frequent complication after renal transplantation. It contributes to the considerable cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in renal allograft recipients. Additionally, it has a major impact on long-term allograft survival. The pathogenesis of post transplant hypertension is multifactorial. Besides common risk factors, renal allograft recipients accumulate specific risk factors related to the original renal disease, renal transplantation per se and the immunosuppressive regimen. Chronic allograft dysfunction is the main cause of post transplant hypertension. The introduction of calcineurin inhibitors, such as cyclosporine, has increased the prevalence of hypertension. At present, the growing manual of diagnostic and therapeutic tools enables us to adapt better antihypertensive therapy. Tight monitoring, individualization of the immunosuppressive protocol, inclusion of non-pharmacological measures and aggressive antihypertensive treatment should help to minimize the negative implications of post transplant hypertension. Probably, this goal can only be reached by "normalization" of systolic and diastolic blood pressure to below 135/85 mmHg.