Kidney Week

Recent updates by the 8th Joint National Committee (JNC 8), the American and International Societies of Hypertension (ASH-ISH), and KDIGO recommend target blood pressure of less than 140/90 mm Hg for most individuals, including those with CKD.

Two major sets of hypertension guidelines released in 2014 contain more common threads than differences, and are intended to serve different purposes. Clinicians seeking guidance for managing hypertension in chronic kidney disease (CKD) can look for this common ground to avoid "guideline overload."

Guidelines for hypertension have converged on a blood pressure target of less than 140/90 mm Hg for most individuals with chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, studies still need to clarify optimal BPs for advanced disease and optimal cardiovascular prevention.

In the past there were few effective treatment options for serious conditions such as hepatitis C and lupus. However, recent scientific advances offer physicians and patients greatly improved options for effective management of these conditions, with fewer adverse events.

Though warfarin has long been the mainstay of anticoagulation in atrial fibrillation (AF), dosing is complicated by a host of factors, and the drug has a famously narrow therapeutic range. One way to fine-tune warfarin therapy is to account for genetic variation.

Obese patients present several challenges when it comes to gastric bypass, kidney transplant, and other surgeries. Several recent advances have reduced the risk of complications in this population.

Anticoagulation is recommended for members of the general population with atrial fibrillation, but its significant risks must be weighed carefully in the medically fragile chronic kidney disease population.

There are many factors to consider when treating patients who may be infected with the Ebola virus, including several that are unique to the virus and that had not been widely considered prior to the current outbreak.

Treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients with CKD may help prevent disease progression. Ablation has been shown produce marked improvement in kidney function as measured by eGFR. A prospective study of individuals undergoing catheter ablation for AF showed that most patients remained AF-free, and that eGFR improved significantly for those with persistent or longstanding persistent AF.

Secondary hyperparathyroidism can occur in CKD when the kidney loses its ability to produce active metabolites of vitamin D, and reduces phosphorus excretion. Cinacalcet seeks to interrupt the progression to severe unremitting hyperparathyroidism by mimicking calcium to the calcium-sensing receptors that control parathyroid hormone levels.

Physicians caring for individuals with chronic kidney disease (CKD) must strike a balance between ensuring optimal lipid control for protection from vascular events, while avoiding undue risk.

Affecting just one in every 100,000 people, ANCA-associated vasculitis is not one of the more common conditions nephrologists will encounter. However, without proper treatment it can have serious adverse effects on a patient's life.

For patients on dialysis one of the biggest concerns is whether their blood pressure will stay at a healthy level during the process. While there have been some advances made more work needs to be done to help patients in need.

Despite achieving optimal goals for "bad" cholesterol levels, individuals with diabetes and chronic kidney disease still have an elevated risk of vascular complications.

Heart failure and other cardiac events can leave lasting effects on the lives of patients. Scientists are working on ways to help make the recovery process easier and smoother by generating cells that can help the healing process.

The recent outbreak of the Ebola virus has taught doctors a lot about treatment patients need. This includes nephrologists who have had to tackle new challenges for patients in kidney failure.

In the past patients diagnosed as obese would be automatically disqualified from receiving a kidney transplant. Now, thanks to advances in robotic surgery there are new options that can help give these patients a new lease on life.

From the very earliest age a person's kidneys play a pivotal role in their overall health. This can be especially true for premature babies and others who have suffered early kidney injuries. The treatment they receive can go a long way in helping them with the rest of their lives.

Study results show hyponatremia is closely associated with all-cause mortality in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), but few previous studies have examined this relationship.

According to the authors of a recent study, almost 50% of patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) say they have chronic pain, and over 75% of them rate it as being moderate to severe.

A recent anonymous survey among nephrologists suggests that patients' social support, ability to understand the transplant process, and age are the most important factors influencing nephrologists' decisions to exclude them from kidney transplant referral.

A recent study suggests that dialysis patients' use of opioid analgesics (OAs) is widespread and exceeding historical limits, and that the patients who use opioids are staying on them longer.

Though patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) have variable risks of death, the population risk prediction tools that are currently available perform poorly.

A recent study found that drug regimens containing renin-angiotensin system (RAS) inhibitors are associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular and all-cause deaths among patients starting hemodialysis, compared to regimens containing only beta blockers (BBs).

Patients who have chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end-stage renal disease (ESRD) require 20% less warfarin and more monitoring for bleeding than patients who have normal kidney function.

After developing a predictive model that compares a patient's individualized risk of mortality while undergoing dialysis to the risk of kidney transplant, a research team has created a free mobile app called iChoose Kidney that enables patients and providers to make informed decisions on treatment choices.

Results of a recent community-based study suggest that African-American patients are at higher risk for acute kidney injury (AKI) than Caucasians - a difference that appears to be related to disparities in income and socioeconomic status.

A recent study presented at Kidney Week 2013 suggests that a plain X-ray is a reliable and inexpensive tool for assessing the risks of cardiovascular events and death in patients who have chronic kidney disease (CKD) and are not on dialysis.