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Updated: Jun 13, 2026

Assessment of Vascular Function in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease
Published on: June 16, 2014
Hypertension, chronic kidney disease, and the development of cardiovascular risk: a joint primacy
John P Middleton1, Patrick H Pun
1Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27705, USA. j.p.middleton@duke.edu
Insights
Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) face high cardiovascular disease risks. Both reduced kidney function and hypertension are key factors driving this increased risk.
Area of Science:
- Nephrology
- Cardiology
- Internal Medicine
Background:
- Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) exhibit a significantly elevated risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD).
- CKD-associated CVD risk is multifactorial, including uremia, dyslipidemia, systemic inflammation, and complications from renal replacement therapies.
Discussion:
- Hypertension is a critical comorbidity that exacerbates CVD risk in CKD patients.
- Emerging evidence indicates that diminished glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and hypertension are primary contributors to cardiovascular pathology in CKD.
Key Insights:
- CKD patients have a disproportionately high risk of cardiovascular events.
- Hypertension and reduced GFR are identified as co-primary drivers of cardiovascular illness in CKD.
- Understanding these shared pathways is crucial for effective CVD prevention in CKD.
Outlook:
- Further research into the interplay between GFR, hypertension, and CVD in CKD is warranted.
- Developing targeted interventions for hypertension and GFR management may mitigate CVD risk.
- Integrated care models focusing on both kidney and cardiovascular health are essential for improving patient outcomes.
Abstract:
Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) have an inordinate risk of cardiovascular disease. In addition to the metabolic state of uremia, the CKD-associated risk is partly explainable by unique cofactors such as dyslipidemia, systemic inflammation, and exposures that occur during renal replacement therapies. However, the comorbid condition of hypertension also enhances risk in patients with CKD. New observations suggest that diminished glomerular filtration rate and hypertension share primacy in the development of cardiovascular illness.
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