Risk factors for the development of cardiovascular diseases in patients undergoing hemodialysis

Abstract

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death in hemodialysis patients. These patients present various traditional and nontraditional risk factors for the development of cardiovascular disease. Traditional risk factors include arterial hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, obesity, cigarette smoking, and decreased physical activity. Non-traditional risk factors include microinflammation, hyperhomocysteinemia, oxidative stress, malnutrition, secondary hyperparatireoidism, anemia, sodium and water retention and increased blood flow through the vascular access for hemodialysis. This review article describes in more detail the causes, methods of diagnosis and treatment for three traditional risk factors, such as arterial hypertension, diabetes and hyperlipidemia, as well as anemia, hyperhomocysteinemia, secondary hyperparathyroidism and increased flow through the vascular access which represent non-traditional risk factors.