The vulnerable patient with chronic kidney disease.
Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) exhibit an increased cardiovascular risk. The high susceptibility to cardiovascular disease renders CKD patients 'vulnerable patients'. The overall cardiovascular risk of a vulnerable patient with CKD is determined by the components of the vulnerable myocardium, the vulnerable vessel and the vulnerable blood which in sum contribute to the increased morbidity and mortality risk in CKD patients. Future therapeutic strategies to reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in this high-risk population should address all three aspects of vulnerability in CKD patients.
Divison of Nephrology, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany.
Georg
G
Schlieper
Division of Cardiology, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany.
Katharina
K
Hess
Divison of Nephrology, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany.
Jürgen
J
Floege
Division of Cardiology, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany.
Nikolaus
N
Marx
D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D014943:Global Health; D006801:Humans; D009017:Morbidity / Q000639:trends; D051436:Renal Insufficiency, Chronic / Q000150:complications*; D012307:Risk Factors; D015996:Survival Rate / Q000639:trends