Cardiovascular complications in diabetic kidney disease

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is the leading cause of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Due to an explosion in the incidence and the prevalence of Type 2 DM, the burden of CKD is expected to increase proportionately. Both DM and CKD are associated with a high incidence of cardiovascular (CV) morbidity and mortality, and it is important to understand the unique nature of CV disease in patients with the combination of these two conditions. In this report, we review the traditional and nontraditional risk factors that underlie the high risk of CV disease in this population, with a particular focus on vascular calcification, mineral metabolism, and therapeutic paradigms for the treatment of cardiovascular disease in this unique and high-risk population.