Hypertension management: special considerations in chronic kidney disease patients.

It has been estimated that approximately 11% of the US adult population has chronic kidney disease (CKD), and it has been demonstrated that the prevalence of hypertension rises significantly as renal function declines. Even mild CKD significantly increases mortality risk, and cardiovascular disease remains the main cause of death among these patients. Although CKD patients have generally been excluded from trials testing the effect of lowering blood pressure on cardiovascular outcomes, guidelines suggest lowering blood pressure in hopes of reducing cardiovascular mortality and slowing the progression of renal disease. The preferred antihypertensive agents among these patients are drugs that block the renin-angiotensin system. In most hypertensive CKD patients, however, multiple agents are necessary to reach blood pressure targets. In general, diuretics and calcium channel blockers are added subsequently as adjunctive therapy. Hopefully, with increased recognition of the unique aspects of treating hypertension in this population, end-stage renal disease and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality will be delayed or avoided in the millions of patients with CKD.