Oxidative stress and inflammation currently resound throughout the scientific community as risk factors for arteriosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases. Already more or less reasonable recommendations appear in various lay-media, providing suggestions of how to prevent arteriosclerosis by antioxidative strategies, including, for example, daily consumption of red wine containing antioxidative tannins, or daily administration of vitamin E. What currently is the evidence for antioxidative treatment? Are there any validated recommendations particularly for uraemic patients bearing a high risk for arteriosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases? These questions will be addressed in the following.