Cardiovascular risk factors in renal transplant recipients

Abstract

Renal transplantation is the optimal treatment modality for most patients with end-stage renal failure — it extends the survival and improves the quality of life compared with continued dialysis therapy. However, patients after renal transplantation are still more susceptible to cardiovascular diseases than the general population. Cardiovascular complications are the primary cause of death in patients after renal transplantation. This is related to the fact that these patients have many risk factors. They include, among others, the so called “traditional” risk factors, typical of the general population, as well as “non-traditional” risk factors, characteristic of patients with kidney diseases and additionally given immunosuppression. What is vital is early identification of the risk factors and the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular complications. This article outlines the most important cardiovascular risk factors in renal transplant recipients.