Connecting the Cs: Coronaries, Creatinine, Compliance, CRUSADE

摘要

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is highly prevalent in the United States, affecting 1 in 6 individuals over the age of 20. Left untreated, CKD can result in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) necessitating either hemodialysis or kidney transplantation. The National Kidney Foundation (NKF), along with the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and the American Heart Association (AHA), recognize CKD as a coronary heart disease (CHD) risk equivalent. Many of the risk factors for CKD, such as diabetes, hypertension, and obesity, also underlie coronary artery disease (CAD). Therefore, it should not be surprising that CAD is highly prevalent among CKD patients and accounts for significant morbidity and mortality. Furthermore, the risk of cardiovascular events, including mortality, correlate with the severity of the CKD.4'8 These findings underlie the importance of aggressively diagnosing and treating CAD in patients with CKD.