Millions of people worldwide have chronic kidney disease (CKD). Affected patients are at high risk for cardiovascular disease for several reasons. Among various comorbidities, CKD is associated with the more severe forms of SARS-Cov-2 infection. This is particularly true for patients receiving dialysis or for kidney recipients.
From the start of the SARS-Cov-2 pandemic, several cardiovascular complications have been observed in affected subjects, spanning through acute inflammatory manifestations, cardiovascular events, thrombotic episodes and arrythmias. Several pathogenetic mechanisms have been hypothesized, including direct cytopathic viral effects on the myocardium, endothelial damage, and hypercoagulability. This spectrum of disease can occur during the acute phase of the infection, but also after months from recovery.
This review is focussed on the cardiovascular complications of COVID-19 with particular interest to their implications for the CKD population.