Management of cardiac arrhythmias in patients with chronic kidney disease

Chronic kidney disease (CKD), defined as a glomerular filtration rate (GFR) of <60mL/min/1.73m2 for >3 months, is present in >10% of adults. There is a complex interplay between multiple kidney and cardiovascular functions, and even mild CKD is associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and all-cause mortality.

The presence of CKD in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with challenging decision-making regarding specific therapies or interventions, as the risk-benefit ratio may be substantially altered (particularly in patients with end-stage renal disease [ESRD]). Since patients with advanced CKD are commonly excluded from the randomized clinical trials assessing management of AF, there is little high-quality evidence to inform the management of patients with AF and CKD in daily clinical practice.

The purpose of this Survey is to assess the common ‘real world’ practice in the management of patients with AF (excluding those with prosthetic mechanical heart valves or mitral stenosis) and CKD. The survey is carried out among cardiologists and nephrologists.