Uraemic Cardiomyopathy: A Review of Current Literature

Abstract

Uraemic Cardiomyopathy (UC) is recognised as an intricate and multifactorial disease which portends a significant burden in patients with End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD). The cardiovascular morbidity and mortality associated with UC is significant and can be associated with the development of arrythmias, cardiac failure and sudden cardiac death (SCD). The pathophysiology of UC involves a complex interplay of traditional implicative factors such as haemodynamic overload and circulating uraemic toxins as well as our evolving understanding of the Chronic Kidney Disease-Mineral Bone Disease pathway. There is an instrumental role for multi-modality imaging in the diagnostic process; including transthoracic echocardiography and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging in identifying the hallmarks of left ventricular hypertrophy and myocardial fibrosis that characterise UC. The appropriate utilisation of the aforementioned diagnostics in the ESRD population may help guide therapeutic approaches, such as pharmacotherapy including beta-blockers and aldosterone-antagonists as well as haemodialysis and renal transplantation. Despite this, there remains limitations in effective therapeutic interventions for UC and ongoing research on a cellular level is vital in establishing further therapies.