title: Use of cardioprotective medications in kidney transplant recipients.
abstract: Death with function causes half of late kidney transplant failures, and cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the most common cause of death in these patients. We examined the use of potentially cardioprotective medications in a prospective observational study at seven transplant centers in the United States and Canada. Among 935 patients, 87% received antihypertensive medications at both 1 and 6 months after transplantation. Similar antihypertensive regimens were used for patients with and without diabetes and CVD, but with wide variability among centers. In contrast, while 44% of patients were on angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI) or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB) at the time of transplantation, the proportion taking these agents dropped to 12% at month 1, then increased to 24% at 6 months. Fewer than 30% with CVD or diabetes received ACEI/ARB therapy 6 months posttransplant. Aspirin use was uncommon (<40% of patients). Even among those with diabetes and/or CVD, fewer than 60% received aspirin and only half received a statin at 1 and 6 months. This study demonstrates marked variability in the use of cardioprotective medications in kidney transplant recipients, a finding that may reflect, among several possible explanations, clinical uncertainty due the lack of randomized trials for these medications in this population.
authors.affiliation: University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA. rgaston@uab.edu
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Gaston
authors.forename: B L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Kasiske
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Fieberg
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Leduc
authors.forename: F C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Cosio
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gourishankar
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Halloran
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hunsicker
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rush
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Matas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D047228:Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001241:Aspirin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002170:Canada; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D047228:Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D001241:Aspirin