Cardiovascular Disease in Dialysis Patients

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death in patients on chronic dialysis. Numerous epidemiologic researches have proved a significant frequency of cardiovascular diseases in patients with chronic kidney disease. Multicentric studies have shown great incidence of cardiovascular complications in patients on dialysis. Patients with chronic kidney diseases have 10-20 times greater risk of developing cardiovascular disease in comparison to general population. Risk for starting cardiovascular diseases can be differentiated in patients on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis and patients on hemodialysis, especially in patients who remain on peritoneal dialyses for more than two years and loose the remaining kidney function. Part of cardiovascular damage in patients treated with dialyses is caused by the use of residual renal therapy and question which therapy is more harmful, hemodialysis or peritoneal is very important. Despite the importance of the subject only several studies have been done in comparing cardiovascular test of patients treated with peritoneal dialyses and patients treated by hemodialysis. Our research deals with this issue in particular.