The epidemics of cardiovascular disease in elderly patients with chronic kidney disease--two facets of the same problem.
There is increasing evidence that even mild renal dysfunction is a novel potent cardiovascular risk factor in the general elderly population. With more severe renal impairment, cardiovascular risk increases proportionately. This issue deserves attention, as chronic kidney disease (CKD) is predominantly a disease of the elderly, and the mean age of end-stage renal disease patients entering dialysis is growing constantly. In the dialysis population, when clinically significant cardiovascular disease (CVD) (particularly congestive heart failure) is present, survival is worse. Thus, every effort should be made to identify and treat cardiovascular risk factor in the early stages of CKD. However, elderly renal patients receive less proper cardiovascular therapy compared to non-renal subjects of the same age. This review deals briefly with the most significant data published in the last decade on CVD in elderly with CKD.
Covic
Adrian
A
Nephrology Clinic and Dialysis and Transplantation Center, C. I. PARHON University Hospital, 6600, Iasi, Romania. acovic@xnet.ro
Gusbeth-Tatomir
Paul
P
Goldsmith
David J A
DJ
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D006801:Humans; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*