Free radical-mediated injury, activation of vasoactive and pro-inflammatory cytokines, the central role of activation of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone, abnormal autonomic imbalance with abnormalities in heart rate variability, increased arterial stiffness, accelerated atherosclerosis, and a high propensity to acute cardiovascular events including sudden death are common to both cardiovascular disease (CVD) and CKD [49–51]. This evidence concerns the gene REN and atherosclerosis.