Low serum bicarbonate levels, even within the normal laboratory range, are strongly
associated with increased risks of hypertension, endothelial dysfunction, cardiovascular
disease and death. The current proposal will investigate whether bicarbonate administration
in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) will improve the health and function of
arteries and reduce the size of the left ventricle of the heart. Overall, the proposed
research will provide important new scientific evidence upon which physicians can base
recommendations to patients with CKD to decrease the risk of developing cardiovascular
diseases.