Hypertension in dialysis patients

Hypertension is a major risk for cardiovascular complications in dialysis p atients. The pathogenesis of hypertension is multifactorial and is not comp letely understood, Hypervolemia has always been considered a major pathogen etic factor. In addition, a disturbed hormone profile with an activated ren in angiotensin system, increased catecholamine, vasopressin and endothelin, and perhaps decreased nitrous oxide activity seem to play a role in the hi gh incidence of hypertension in dialysis patients, The influence of autonom ic dysfunction on blood pressure control in hemodialysis patients is not cl ear. The frequent use of erythropoietin during the last decade may have con tributed to the increased incidence of hypertension in the dialysis populat ion. Data from the First Report on Dialysis and Transplant in Sicily showed that hypertension is the cause of endstage renal disease in 8% of dialysis patients and that the incidence of hypertension, as a cause of end-stage r enal disease, increased with age.