[Cardiovascular repercussions of chronic hemodialysis].

Coronary disease and left ventricular failure are the two main causes of death in haemodialysis patients. In these particular patients it is the accumulation of several risk factors rather than accelerated atherogenesis which seems to be the responsible for the frequent manifestations of a coronary disease which is sometimes difficult to diagnose. Independently of any cardiovascular history, the so-called "uraemic cardiopathy" is characterized by left ventricular dilatation associated with an increased myocardial mass but with a low mass/volume ratio. The systolic function is preserved whereas the ventricular diastolic compliance is altered due to the left ventricular hypertrophy.