Functions

• According to DaVita, one of the largest kidney dialysis companies in the U.S., excess cholesterol can form plaques that interfere with blood flow to the kidneys and eventually impair kidney function.
  
  

Considerations

• The relationship goes the other way as well. Health Central says kidney failure can raise total cholesterol levels, increasing the individual's risk for cardiovascular disease.
  
  

Significance

• For people with kidney disease, cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death, regardless of the stage of their kidney disease.
  
  

Expert Insight

• The American National Kidney Foundation, the American College of Cardiology, and the American Heart Association believe people with chronic kidney disease have the same risk of a future cardiac event as someone who has already had a heart attack.
  
  

Tip

• Risk factors for cardiovascular disease in people with kidney disease aren't necessarily the same as those for people without kidney problems. For example, high cholesterol is a classic risk factor for heart disease, but DaVita says people with end-stage kidney disease have a better chance of staying out of the hospital and living longer if they have higher cholesterol levels.