Drug therapies to delay the progression of chronic kidney disease.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with significant morbidity and mortality, impacted not alone by progression to end-stage kidney disease, but also by the high associated incidence of cardiovascular events and related mortality. Despite our current understanding of the pathogenesis of CKD and the treatments available, the reported incidence of CKD continues to rise worldwide, and is often referred to as the silent public healthcare epidemic. The significant cost to patient wellbeing and to the economy of managing the later stages of CKD have prompted efforts to develop interventions to delay the development and progression of this syndrome. In this article, we review established and novel agents that may aid in delaying the progression of CKD and improve patient outcomes. © Royal College of Physicians 2015. All rights reserved.