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Updated: Jul 15, 2025
Assessment of Vascular Function in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease
Published on: June 16, 2014
Albuminuria and cardiovascular risk
D H Rigo1, P M Jiménez2, M Orias3
1Nephrology Service, Sanatorio Allende, Córdoba, Argentina.
Insights
Albuminuria, a marker of organ damage, aids cardiovascular risk (CVR) estimation, especially in diabetes and kidney disease. Its role as a CVR marker and treatment target in the general population requires further investigation.
Area of Science:
- Nephrology
- Cardiology
- Internal Medicine
Background:
- Cardiovascular risk (CVR) estimation is crucial for guiding patient therapy.
- Albuminuria serves as an accessible, non-invasive indicator of target organ damage.
- It aids in identifying high-risk individuals, particularly those with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and diabetes mellitus (DM).
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the evidence on albuminuria's role as a cardiovascular risk marker.
- To evaluate albuminuria's potential as a therapeutic target and guide for treatment.
- To address the controversy surrounding its predictive capacity in the general population.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of existing studies and clinical evidence.
- Analysis of albuminuria's epidemiological CVR marker capacity in specific populations.
- Examination of evidence regarding albuminuria as a therapeutic target.
Main Results:
- Albuminuria is accepted as a CVR marker in hypertension, CKD, and DM.
- Its role as a CVR marker and therapeutic target in the general population remains controversial.
- Evidence suggests treatments like SGLT2 inhibitors reduce CVR events irrespective of albuminuria levels.
Conclusions:
- Albuminuria is a valuable indicator of organ damage and aids CVR assessment in specific high-risk groups.
- Further research is needed to clarify albuminuria's predictive value and therapeutic utility in the general population.
- The findings highlight the complex interplay between albuminuria, CVR, and treatment efficacy.
Abstract:
Cardiovascular risk (CVR) estimation is a fundamental tool for guiding therapy. Albuminuria indicates target organ damage in an accessible, economic and non-invasive manner. Improves high-risk patient identification, especially in chronic kidney disease (CKD) and diabetes mellitus (DM). In addition, anti-albuminuric treatments may improve CVR. This would position albuminuria as a guide and therapeutic objective. Although the capacity of albuminuria as an epidemiological CVR marker in specific populations (hypertension, CKD, DM) is accepted, its profile as a risk marker in the general population and as a therapeutic target is controversial. There is ambiguous evidence regarding its predictive capacity, added to the fact that treatments such as SLGT2 blockers reduce CVR events regardless of albuminuria presence or magnitude. This review analyzes the available evidence on albuminuria as a CVR marker, a treatment goal and therapeutic guide.
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