A new test could help identify and treat individuals at risk of developing potentially deadly calcium deposits in their tissues and blood vessels, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN). Heart disease is the number one killer of patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), and vascular calcification is thought to play a major role. Patients with CKD often have abnormally high blood calcium levels due to their compromised kidney function and the effects of commonly used medications. An accumulation of excess calcium can cause potentially deadly calcifications in tissues and blood vessels; however, physicians currently have no tools to determine an individual’s calcification risk.
