Cardiovascular disease and kidney transplantation‑evaluation of potential transplant recipient

Cardiovascular evaluation of a potential kidney transplant recipient remains controversial. The burning issue is the lack of clear guidelines as well as the fact that patients with a low probability of cardiovascular disease undergo numerous unnecessary screening procedures and false‑positive results are common. In general, the standard procedure involves clinical data collection, physical examination, electrocardiography, chest‑X ray, measurement of the lipid profile and fasting glycemia, cardiac ultrasonography, followed by coronary angiography. An exercise tolerance test is not recommended because it has low sensitivity and is difficult to perform and interpret. Cardiac ultrasonography should be performed after a hemodialysis session to avoid an effect on hypervolemia. All noninvasive diagnostic imaging and isotope tests are usually of limited value and, to a large extent, are facility- and operator‑dependent. Coronary angiography should be considered in patients with positive exercise tolerance test results and a history of acute coronary syndrome, unstable coronary artery disease, and high cardiovascular risk. However, a decision regarding therapy, ie, percutaneous coronary intervention, stenting (type of stent), or coronary artery bypass grafting should be made during the meeting of a cardiac team. The guidelines also discuss cardiac contraindications to kidney transplantation. It should be stressed that a patient scheduled for a kidney transplant is sick at the time of evaluation and that his or her condition may change after several years on the waiting list. Therefore, cardiac reevaluation may be needed. Preemptive transplantation as well as short dialysis therapy before transplantation (<6 months) are associated with better patient and graft survival and thus with lower incidence of cardiovascular complications and better quality of life. The current review discusses the available guidelines on the evaluation of the potential kidney transplant recipient.