Heart and kidney, a dynamic relationship

Heart disease is common in patients with renal dysfunction and approximately 20% of patients with kidney disease die each year due to sudden cardiac death. The ICD-2 trial investigated the effect of an ICD in the prevention of sudden cardiac death in dialysis patients and is the cornerstone of this thesis. Furthermore the value of CT and biochemic test to identify dialysis patients at risk for sudden cardiac death are described in the current thesis. Lastly, complications related to ICD therapy in patients with end stage renal disease were investigated. Therefore this thesis contributes valuable information for a very vulnerable patient group.