Dyslipidemias in patients who have chronic kidney disease

Patients with CKD are at high risk for developing CVD. In fact, most CKD patients have a 10-year risk of coronary heart disease events greater than or equal to 20%, placing them in the highest risk category according to the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III guidelines [13]. For this reason, the National Kidney Foundation K/DOQI guidelines for managing dyslipidemia suggest that CKD patients with LDL greater than or equal to 100 mg/dL (2.59 mmol/L) should be treated with diet and a statin. The K/DOQI guidelines also make it clear that the evidence supporting treatment in CKD populations is lacking, however, and that additional placebo-controlled trials are needed. In the mean time, the high incidence of CVD makes intensive monitoring and treatment of dyslipidemias in patients with CKD a reasonable clinical approach.