| [ Summary ] |
Cardiovascular disease is a major cause of death in patients receiving chronic hemodialysis. Although valvular heart disease is not as frequent as coronary heart disease, the prognosis is similarly poor. Valvular heart disease in patients with hemodialysis has several characteristics. First, calcification of the valve itself and paravalvular apparatus are promonent. Secondly, the incidence of infectious endocarditis is relatively high. Staphylococcus aureus is the most frequent pathogen of infectious endocarditis in patients receiving hemodialysis. For the diagnosis of valvular heart disease, echocardiography is most useful, but cardiac catheterization including coronary angiography is also necessary to determine the application of valve replacement. Treatment of valvular heart disease in hemodialysis patients is not extremely different from that for patients with normal renal functions. The prognosis after valular replacement is again poor. |