Evolution and Etiology of Cardiovascular Diseases in Renal Transplant Recipients

The mortality rates for CVDs in transplant recipients are greater than those in the general population (13). CVDs are a major cause of both patient and graft loss in renal transplant recipients, and improving cardiovascular health may help to extend both patient and graft survival. A complication of chronic renal failure, CVDs are frequently present in patients being considered for transplantation. Pretransplant screening, based on risk stratification, may detect pre-existing disease and identify patients likely to benefit from therapeutic strategies designed to reduce CVDs prevalence. Further studies are needed to better define the risk factors for CVDs in the renal transplant population and to evaluate the effectiveness of risk modification on the related morbidity and mortality. Risk-factor management initiated early in the course of chronic renal failure might reduce the burden of CVDs in both dialysis and transplant populations.