Masked Hypertension in CKD: Increased Prevalence and Risk for Cardiovascular and Renal Events

Area of Science:

• Nephrology
• Cardiology
• Hypertension Research

Background:

• Hypertension and chronic kidney disease (CKD) share a bidirectional relationship.
• CKD patients exhibit higher prevalence of high-risk hypertension phenotypes like masked hypertension.
• Masked hypertension poses significant risks for cardiovascular disease in CKD populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the increased prevalence of masked hypertension in CKD patients.
• To detail the elevated risks of target organ damage and adverse events linked to masked hypertension in CKD.

Main Methods:

• Review of recent studies on masked hypertension in CKD.
• Analysis of associations between masked hypertension and clinical outcomes in CKD patients.

Main Results:

• Masked hypertension is more prevalent in CKD patients compared to the general population.
• Masked hypertension correlates with increased left ventricular hypertrophy, pulse wave velocity, proteinuria, and decreased eGFR in CKD.
• In CKD, masked hypertension is linked to higher risks of cardiovascular disease, end-stage renal disease, and all-cause mortality.

Conclusions:

• CKD patients face a heightened risk of masked hypertension.
• Masked hypertension in CKD is associated with significant target organ damage and adverse cardiovascular and renal outcomes.
• Further research is needed to elucidate pathophysiology, optimize diagnosis, and assess modifiability of masked hypertension.