REN and Hypertension: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is an underrecognized yet major risk factor for cardiovascular disease due to concomitant traditional risk factors such as type 2 DM and hypertension in addition to nontraditional risk factors including inflammation from overactivation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, oxidative stress, vascular complications, and abnormal calcium–phosphorus metabolism [42].