Volume 72, Issue 6, Pages 663-665 (September 2007) Vascular calcification in chronic kidney disease: New developments in drug therapy S. Huybers, R.J.M. Bindels Kidney International Volume 72, Issue 6, Pages 663-665 (September 2007) DOI: 10.1038/sj.ki.5002477 Copyright © 2007 International Society of Nephrology Terms and Conditions
Figure 1 The process of vascular calcification. Vascular calcification in chronic kidney disease (CKD) is induced via both passive Ca × P deposition and active transformation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) into an osteoblast-like phenotype. The vitamin D receptor (VDR) agonist paricalcitol is very useful in the treatment of CKD patients. Besides effectively suppressing secondary hyperthyroidism, paricalcitol is less phosphatemic and calcemic, therefore decreasing the risk for vascular calcification. Kidney International 2007 72, 663-665DOI: (10.1038/sj.ki.5002477) Copyright © 2007 International Society of Nephrology Terms and Conditions