MICROALBUMINURIA AND CARDIOVASCULAR RISK

The term 'microalbuminuria' has been introduced to describe a measurab le increase in urine albumin excretion, which is still within normal t otal urine protein excretion levels. Many data suggest that microalbum inuria is of value as an index of vascular damage, especially in hyper tension and diabetes, and there is increasing information on its assoc iations with traditional cardiovascular risk factors and its prognosti c value. The association between microalbuminuria and peripheral marke rs of endothelial damage or dysfunction, such as von Willebrand factor , suggests the possibility that microalbuminuria may be a simple, chea p and easy index of endothelial abnormalities in cardiovascular diseas e. Nevertheless, further information on the value of microalbuminuria in other atherosclerotic vascular complications, such as ischaemic hea rt disease, stroke and peripheral artery disease is still needed.