[Pathology of cardiovascular system among hemodialysis patients in Lithuania].

During period of February to July 2002 the data of 602 hemodialysis patients were collected from 20 dialysis centres in Lithuania in order to determine the prevalence of cardiovascular diseases and their risk factors. In 34.9 percent of patients ischemic heart disease was diagnosed (myocardial infarction prior to hemodialysis, angina pectoris according to Rose's questionnaire, scar changes in ECG and/or hypokinesis zones in echocardiograms). Men were prevailing among the patients. The largest number of patients with ischaemic heart disease was on dialysis for one year, which proves that the patients start dialysis with the presence of pathology of cardiovascular system. Out of all patients, 45.3 percent were hypertensive. The majority of dialysis patients demonstrated risk factors for cardiovascular diseases: about 80 percent hypertrophy of the left heart ventricle, about a half of the patients were smokers, mainly men. Thirty-one percent of patients had overweight, 12.5 percent were obese. A half of the surveyed patients were not examined by means of echocardiography, one third did not undergo radiographic examination of thorax. It demonstrates insufficient attention to cardiovascular pathology as well as breach of the quality requirements for dialysis according to the order No 116 issued by the Ministry of Health March 15, 1999.