The prevalence of microalbuminuria and its relationship with several cardiovascular risk factors and target organ damage were evaluated in a cohort of 787 untreated patients with essential hypertension. Albuminuria was measured as the albumin-to-creatinine ratio in three nonconsecutive, first morning urine samples. The prevalence of microalbuminuria was 6.7%. Albuminuric patients were more likely to be men and to be characterized by higher blood pressure, body mass index, and uric acid levels and lower HDL cholesterol and HDL cholesterol-to-LDL cholesterol ratio. Piecewise linear regression analysis demonstrated that uric acid and diastolic blood pressure significantly influence albuminuria and together account for a large part of its variations. K-means cluster analysis performed on the entire cohort of patients confirmed that microalbuminuria is associated with a worse cardiovascular risk profile. Furthermore, microalbuminuria was associated with the presence of target organ damage (eg, electrocardiographic [ECG] abnormalities and retinal vascular changes). Age and the presence of microalbuminuria act as independent risk factors for the development of ECG abnormalities and retinal vascular changes. Cluster analysis allowed us to identify three subgroups of patients who differed in the presence or absence of microalbuminuria, retinopathy, and ECG abnormalities. We conclude that the prevalence of microalbuminuria in essential hypertension is lower than previously reported. Increased urinary albumin excretion is associated with a worse cardiovascular risk profile and is a concomitant indicator of early target organ damage.

Background and Purpose: Cerebral hypoperfusion has occasionally been reported during essential hypertension. We explored regional cerebral blood flow in a large series of neurologically asymptomatic hypertensive patients to determine relations among cerebral blood flow, concomitant main vascular risk factors, and the most common signs of end-organ damage.Methods: Regional cerebral blood flow was measured by the`33Xe inhalation method in 101 hypertensive patients without clinically apparent central nervous system involvement, including 39 mild to moderate untreated and 62 mild to severe treated patients.Results: Compared with age-and sex-matched normal control subjects, cerebral blood flow was significantly reduced in untreated hypertensive patients (P<.01) and to a lesser extent in treated patients (P=.047). Both regional and global cerebral blood flow reductions were observed in approximately one third of patients in both groups. Analysis of variance failed to show significant correlations between cerebral blood flow and total cholesterol concentration, mean arterial blood pressure, duration of disease, or the presence of retinopathy or left ventricular hypertrophy. In the treated group, the quality of control of hypertension significantly influenced both global cerebral blood flow (P=.007) and cerebrovascular resistance (P<.0001).Conclusions: Focal or diffuse cerebral hypoperfusion is present even in neurologically asymptomatic hypertensive patients, especially when untreated; good control of blood pressure may preserve cerebral

Chronic kidney disease is common in patients with chronic heart failure and has important clinical implications. The coexistence of these two syndromes is associated with a higher risk of adverse outcome and increases the difficulties of heart failure treatment because of the complex interplay between renal dysfunction and pharmacologic therapy. The underrepresentation of patients with chronic kidney disease in most heart failure trials contributes to the suboptimal treatment of this high-risk population in clinical practice. In the present review, we briefly examine the pathophysiologic mechanisms connecting chronic kidney disease and chronic heart failure and discuss the therapeutic approach to patients affected by both conditions.

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