Vitamin D Supplementation and Cardiac Hypertrophy in Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD)

Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) are upto 3.5 times more likely to die from diseases of heart and blood vessels (Cardiovascular Disease-CVD). Vitamin D insufficiency is very common in CKD and associated with CVD. Animal studies have shown an improvement in heart size and function with Vitamin D therapy, although evidence in humans is lacking. The proposed study will test if oral Vitamin D treatment, in deficient CKD patients, will improve heart enlargement and function. With these proposed changes the investigators expect to reduce CVD and deaths in patients with CKD.