Cinacalcet therapy and cardiovascular risk in hemodialysis patients

Patients with end-stage kidney disease are at high cardiovascular risk due to accelerated atherosclerosis development. Important factors that accelerate the development of atherosclerosis in this group are calcium-phosphorus disturbances causing vascular calcification. Therefore, slowing the development and progression of vascular calcification is a novel therapeutic target in the treatment of calcium and phosphorus disturbances associated with chronic kidney disease. It seems that cinacalcet, a calcimimetic of the second generation, used in patients with refractory secondary hyperparathyroidism can slow the progression of vascular calcification and potentially reduce the cardiovascular risk. This paper reviews the current literature on the pathogenesis of vascular calcification and the potential impact of cinacalcet to reduce cardiovascular risk in patients with end-stage kidney disease.