Guidelines Outline Hypertensive Therapy

New guidelines released by the National Kidney Foundation state that 20 million American adults with chronic kidney disease (CKD) should be considered in the highest risk group for developing cardiovascular disease. The guidelines, "Hypertension and Antihypertensive Agents in Chronic Kidney Disease," reported in the American Journal of Kidney Disease (May 2004), suggested that physicians can stabilize their kidney patients by reducing blood pressure levels to a maximum of 130/80 mm Hg.

The guidelines provide an integrated clinical action plan; key suggestions include:

• Blood pressure goal of 130/80 mm Hg is appropriate for all stages of CKD
• Protein in the urine, in addition to blood pressure, should be monitored to assess the response to antihypertensive agents
• Lifestyle modifications to lower blood pressure and reduce cardiovascular disease risk should be recommended to all CKD patients