Diagnosis of cardiovascular disease in patients with chronic kidney disease.

The major forms of cardiovascular disease including coronary atherosclerosis, valvular disease, myocardial dysfunction, and arrhythmias are observed either alone or in combination in a large fraction of patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). As CKD progresses, these cardiovascular conditions become more prevalent and severe. The clinical implications of combined heart and kidney disease include challenges in diagnosis and management. In addition, the terminal events in CKD commonly involve one of these four domains of cardiovascular disease. This paper will explore the issue of early diagnosis of heart disease in patients with CKD with the major goal being early intervention to lessen the impact of this comorbidity.