New study highlights heightened risk and potential treatment improvements for kidney failure patients
Individuals with kidney failure are up to eight times more likely to suffer a heart attack and four times more likely to have a stroke than those without the condition, according to a comprehensive study from the British Heart Foundation Scotland. This 20-year analysis, recently published in the European Heart Journal, also found that women with kidney failure experience greater risks than men.
The study revealed that although treatments and survival rates for heart attacks and strokes have improved for the general population over the last two decades, kidney failure patients have seen slower progress. This disparity means that these patients continue to face exceptionally high risks, and the gap has widened further, especially for women.
Encouragingly, researchers found that administering dual anti-platelet drugs, which are commonly used to prevent clotting after heart attacks or strokes, can significantly improve survival rates. Patients not prescribed these medications had a heart-related mortality rate exceeding 40% within a year, compared to nearly 14% among those who received them.
Over 600,000 people in Scotland suffer from chronic kidney disease, with around 5,500 at the advanced stage of kidney failure. The British Heart Foundation emphasised the crucial need for further research into the strong correlation between kidney failure and heart-related conditions.
David McColgan, head of British Heart Foundation Scotland, stated: “This extensive study demonstrates the ongoing challenge kidney failure patients face regarding heart and circulatory diseases. Our work, supported by public generosity, aims to bridge this gap.”
Chief scientific and medical officer, Professor Bryan Williams, underscored the urgency for targeted improvements, highlighting that despite recent progress, premature deaths from heart and circulatory diseases have increased in the UK, making focused care for kidney failure patients imperative.
