Bones, Chronic Kidney Disease, and Cardiovascular Disease

  • One problem that can happen early in Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is called CKD-MBD (Chronic Kidney Disease-Mineral and Bone Disorder). This condition is impacted by how the body balances two minerals, calcium and phosphorus.
  • CKD causes increased phosphorus in the blood, triggering 4 small glands in the neck, called the parathyroid glands, to produce parathyroid hormone (PTH). 
  • Due to the increase in phosphorus, PTH tells the body to move calcium out of the bones and into the blood stream to help balance the amount of phosphorus and calcium in the blood.
  • If PTH production stays high the body will keep taking calcium out of the bones, causing them to become weak and brittle. Vitamin D hormone produced by the kidneys helps to lower PTH and help balance calcium.  Decreasing the amount of phosphorus in the food you eat may also be important. Talk to you your healthcare team about the need for prescription vitamin D and whether you need to be on a low phosphorus diet. 
  • Calcium that was pulled out of the bones will settle into bone-like deposits. These deposits can “harden” blood vessels and damage organs like the heart, causing CVD.