Chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients are at a higher risk of developing a wide range of heart problems, reports a new study. The findings of the study are published in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings. Chronic kidney disease, which //afflicts an estimated 6.4% of U.S. adults 45 and older, is associated with an increased risk of heart attack and other adverse cardiovascular outcomes, according to new research from Mayo Clinic.
‘Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are more likely to suffer a wide range of heart problems such as heart attack, congestive heart failure, stroke and other adverse cardiovascular events.’
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The retrospective review of 1,981 patients who were treated for chronic kidney disease at Mayo Clinic between 1997 and 2000 found that over a 10.2-year follow-up period, these patients had significantly elevated cardiac biomarkers, and were at increased risk of heart attack, congestive heart failure, stroke and other adverse cardiovascular events.According to the study, the results regarding heart attack were especially striking: Chronic kidney disease was associated with a 95% increased risk of heart attack during the follow-up period.
"Our study highlights the strong association between chronic kidney disease and heart disease, with evidence that patients with kidney disease are at an increased risk for heart attacks, heart failure, stroke and even death," says Shravya Vinnakota, M.B.B.S., a resident in cardiovascular disease at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science and the study's lead author.
While the prevalence of chronic kidney disease in the U.S. has stabilized in recent decades, the prognosis for patients remains poor. Cardiovascular disease long has been identified as the major cause of premature death for chronic kidney disease patients, but this was believed to be due in part to common risk factors, such as hypertension and diabetes. However, there's growing evidence that impaired kidney function alone is a risk factor.
The study analyzed data from the Olmsted County, Minn., Heart Function Study, a population-based random sample of 2,042 county residents 45 and older, and it used one of the longest follow-up periods in chronic kidney disease research.
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"Chronic kidney disease is widely prevalent, and its association with cardiovascular diseases and mortality is well-documented, says Horng Chen, M.D., a Mayo Clinic cardiologist who specializes in heart failure.
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Further studies, including clinical trials, are needed to confirm the prognostic value of the cardiac biomarkers and the effectiveness of risk modification strategies, says Dr. Chen, the study's senior supervising author.
Source-Eurekalert