Cardiovascular events make up the primary cause of death in hemodialysis patients, and the risk for cardiovascular mortality is significantly increased by vascular calcification, a condition observed frequently in this patient population. The mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of vascular calcification are complex, and many factors facilitate or hinder the development of calcification. In this review, we first summarize the main factors contributing to the pathogenesis of vascular calcification in patients with end-stage renal disease. We then explore the role of calcification inhibitors in the calcification process, as well as their effect on vascular dysfunction and mortality in hemodialysis patients.
| INTRODUCTIONThe prevalence of cardiovascular diseases is high among patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), 1 which increases morbidity and mortality in this population and represents a significant financial burden for both the patients and the healthcare systems. where it may occur in the intima and media layers of the blood vessels and in the cardiac valves. 12 The prevalence of coronary artery calcification is high among dialysis patients; specifically, some degree of coronary artery calcification is observed in 54%-100% of patients, well above the prevalence in the general population.
13Older age, male sex, long duration of dialysis, diabetes, hypertension, smoking, alcohol consumption, hyperphosphatemia, hypercalcemia,