Management of hypertension in hemodialysis patients

The relationship of hypertension with adverse outcomes is uncertain in the hemodialysis population. If hypertension is an etiologically significant cardiovascular risk factor in hemodialysis patients, the first step would be to assess the level of BP accurately. BP obtained at home over a week and averaged using a validated oscillometric automatic device can prove valuable. To the extent BP lowering influences cardiovascular outcomes, home BP of 150/90 mm Hg would warrant therapy, since it correlates with target organ damage and hypertension diagnosed by ambulatory BP monitoring. To manage hypertension, limiting dietary sodium intake and individualizing dialysate sodium delivery would be first steps. The magnitude of reduction in BP with dietary sodium restriction and the whether dialysate sodium can be safely limited in those who are hypotension-prone is unclear. Antihypertensive drug therapies can effectively reduce BP and are needed by the vast majority of hemodialysis patients. Whether control of hypertension translates into better outcomes is not known, but collective evidence suggests that hypertension should be controlled in hemodialysis patients.