How Is Kidney Disease Treated
For patients who have high blood pressure and kidney disease, the most important treatment is to control your blood pressure through lifestyle changes. ACE inhibitor and angiotensin II receptor blocker drugs lower blood pressure and can protect the kidneys from further damage, especially in people with diabetes. However,à treatments needà to be individualized.
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Understanding The Link Between Hypertension And Kidney Disease
The kidneys play an essential role in the human body. They act as filters for the blood, removing toxins and regulating fluids to prevent excessive buildup. Healthy kidneys also keep the blood pressure at a healthy level. Blood pressure refers to the force of blood being pushed against blood vessels as it moves through the body. When the blood pressure is high, the force, or pressure, of the blood pushed against the blood vessels increases. High blood pressurealso called hypertensioncan constrict and narrow the blood vessels in the kidneys. When this happens, the kidneys may no longer be able to function properly. If the kidneys arent doing their job, the excess fluid will not be removed from the blood if the excess fluid is not removed from the blood, the blood pressure will continue to rise.
Theres a significant link between hypertension and kidney disease. Basically, high blood pressure damages the kidneys, and damaged kidneys lead to higher blood pressure resulting in a concerning cycle. In fact, hypertension is the second leading cause of kidney failure, second only to diabetes. That being said, its important to note that hypertension can be both a cause and a result of kidney disease.
How Can I Prevent Or Slow The Progression Of Kidney Disease From High Blood Pressure
The best way to slow or prevent kidney disease from high blood pressure is to take steps to lower your blood pressure. These steps include a combination of medicines and lifestyle changes, such as
- being physically active
- managing stress
- following a healthy diet, including less sodium intake
No matter what the cause of your kidney disease, high blood pressure can make your kidneys worse. If you have kidney disease, you should talk with your health care professional about your individual blood pressure goals and how often you should have your blood pressure checked.
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High Blood Pressure And Kidney Disease
People with high blood pressure, especially those with diabetes, are at higher risk for kidney disease. Learn how to help them manage their conditions and reduce their risk.
Lawrence J. Appel, MD, MPH, is the director of the Welch Center for Prevention, Epidemiology, and Clinical Research at Johns Hopkins University. His clinical research focuses on preventing blood pressure-related cardiovascular and kidney diseases. Here, he discusses the link between high blood pressure and kidney disease, and the importance of early detection and management.
Q: What is the link between kidney disease and high blood pressure?
A: High blood pressure is a leading cause for many adverse conditions, such as stroke, heart disease, heart failure, and possibly cognitive decline. Many patients are unaware of the link between elevated blood pressure and kidney disease.
In the United States, high blood pressure affects 108 million people, or almost 1 in 2 adults. High blood pressure is a condition that develops over time and requires long-term treatment to manage effectively. High blood pressure is the second leading cause of kidney failure in the United States. Kidney disease is one of the main outcomes of having high blood pressure over a period of years.
Q: What are your key messages about kidney disease for health care professionals who have patients with high blood pressure?
Q: What’s the relationship between chronic kidney disease and diabetic kidney disease?
Is Surgery Necessary To Treat Renal Hypertension
If the condition does not improve with medication and/or angioplasty, or the narrowing recurs or cannot be stented for any reason, renal bypass surgery may be an option. By taking a vein or synthetic tube to connect your kidney to your aorta, the surgeon creates an alternate route, or bypass, for blood to flow around the blocked artery into your kidney. This procedure is complex and high risk and rarely used.
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Eat Less Meat More Plants
A plant-based diet is an easy way to increase fiber and reduce the amount of sodium and unhealthy saturated and trans fat you take in from dairy foods and meat. Increase the number of fruits, vegetables, leafy greens, and whole grains youre eating. Instead of red meat, opt for healthier lean proteins like fish, poultry, or tofu.
What Is High Blood Pressure And How Does It Affect The Kidneys
The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases defines blood pressure as an increase in the amount of force that blood puts on the vessels as it moves throughout the body.
Over time, blood pressure can damage and weaken blood vessels throughout the body, including those in the kidneys. When the blood vessels in the kidneys become damaged, it can affect how well the kidneys function.
When the kidneys do not function properly, it can lead to excess fluid and waste buildup in the bloodstream. This in turn can cause high blood pressure, resulting in further damage to the kidneys.
Over time, a person can develop kidney failure.
- changes in urine volume
- generalized numbness or itchiness or darkened or dry skin
If a person is taking multiple medications to manage their blood pressure, and these are not having an effect, doctors may suspect that renovascular hypertension could be the cause.
Any condition that affects blood flow to the kidneys can lead to renovascular hypertension.
The most common causes of renovascular hypertension are forms of renal artery stenosis. Atherosclerosis, which is the buildup of plaque in the arteries, is behind 90% of cases. Fibromuscular dysplasia, which is a condition that causes the narrowing of the arteries, is behind 9% of cases.
Other potential causes
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How Do I Take Care Of Myself
Take your medicines and do your best to keep your blood pressure low. Keep your body healthy by eating right, exercising and quitting smoking. Follow up with your appointments with your healthcare provider.
What questions should I ask my healthcare provider about renal hypertension?
- How high is my blood pressure?
- What medications should I be on?
- Should I have surgery?
A note from Cleveland Clinic
Renal hypertension is a very serious disease. You and your healthcare provider need to pay close attention to your blood pressure. High blood pressure can cause heart attack, aneurysm and stroke, among other complications. Work with your healthcare provider to figure out the best treatment and be sure to take all medications and follow all post-operative instructions perfectly.
Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 12/14/2020.
References
Can Blood Pressure Pills Affect Kidney Function
The use of medicines. In addition to lowering blood pressure, medicines that slow the progression of kidney disease can also lower blood pressure. There are two types of blood pressure-lowering medications that may slow the progression of kidney disease: angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers .
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My Own Uneducated View
Being no devotee of evidence based medicine as presently practiced, I simply propose we ignore their niggling preposterous suggestion, and always go for below 120 and below 80. If our patients experience lightheadedness, we know to back off. We know to move slowly toward our goal. And we know that it makes no sense to offer the lesser quality outcomes from a higher goal blood pressure, waiting for some long off trial to prove it is lesser, while our patients lose the benefits of an obvious better choice obvious to these experts who nevertheless cannot say so until they have hard evidence.
Remember, that hard evidence must be more cardiovascular events in the over 120/80 group than in the under 120/80 group. Is this an ethical stance?
High Blood Pressure Emergencies
High blood pressure is usually a chronic condition that gradually causes damage over years. But sometimes blood pressure rises so quickly and severely that it becomes a medical emergency requiring immediate treatment, often with hospitalization.
In these situations, high blood pressure can cause:
- Blindness
- Complications in pregnancy
- Heart attack
- Memory loss, personality changes, trouble concentrating, irritability or progressive loss of consciousness
- Severe damage to the body’s main artery
- Stroke
- Sudden impaired pumping of the heart, leading to fluid backup in the lungs resulting in shortness of breath
- Sudden loss of kidney function
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What Are The Symptoms
High blood pressure doesnât usually cause symptoms. Most people donât know they have it until they go to the doctor for some other reason.
Very high blood pressure can cause severe headaches and vision problems. These symptoms can also be caused by dangerously high blood pressure called malignant high blood pressure. It may also be called a hypertensive crisis or hypertensive emergency. Malignant high blood pressure is a medical emergency.
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High Blood Pressure And Chronic Kidney Disease
Blood pressure is the pressure of blood pushing against the walls of your arteries. Arteries carry blood from your heart to other parts of your body.
Blood pressure normally rises and falls throughout the day, but it can damage your heart and cause health problems if it stays high for a long time. Hypertension, also called high blood pressure, is blood pressure that is higher than normal.
Uncontrolled high blood pressure is the second leading cause of kidney failure in the US. Severe high blood pressure can harm kidney function over a relatively short period of time. Even mild forms of high blood pressure can damage kidneys over several years.
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Signs That Something May Be Wrong With Your Kidneys
If your kidneys cant balance fluids or remove waste and toxins efficiently, you may experience these symptoms:
- Weakness
- Leg and ankle swelling
- Chest pain due to inflammation of the sac around the heart
Health issues can also occur if your mineral levels are too high or too low. Irregular heartbeats may be a problem if your potassium level rises, while calcium depletion can lead to broken bones.
Kidney damage may make it even harder to regulate your blood pressure. Blood pressure tends to increase when fluids build up and your kidneys struggle to regulate hormones that control pressure. If the damage is severe, your kidneys may eventually begin to fail.
Dialysis, a treatment that removes waste and extra fluids from your blood, or a kidney transplant may then be needed to save your life.
How To Prevent Or Slow Ckd
The best way to prevent CKD is to manage and treat conditions, such as diabetes and high blood pressure, that can damage your kidneys. Lifestyle changes, such as maintaining a healthy weight and not smoking, can also help. If you are at risk for CKD, talk to your doctor about how often you should get screened for the condition. Early detection and treatment are important in helping prevent CKD from progressing.
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How High Blood Pressure Causes Kidney Damage
High blood pressure doesnt just increase your risk of heart attack, heart failure, and stroke. It can also damage your kidneys.
This limits their ability to filter waste and toxins, as well as balance the amount of fluids, hormones, sodium, and other minerals in your blood. Your heart and kidneys work together, which is why your blood pressure can affect both.
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How Do Diabetes And High Blood Pressure Cause Ckd
High blood sugar levels and high blood pressure can damage blood vessels throughout the body, including the ones in the kidneys. Those blood vessels can then become less efficient at filtering blood, and are not able to deliver oxygen and nutrients to kidney tissue.
This reduced blood supply to the kidneys can then further damage their filtering system, and damaged kidneys can cause a buildup of waste and fluid that increases blood pressure even more.
Diabetes, high blood pressure, and CKD can often go undetected for years, silently causing damage throughout the body, so its important to know your risk and see your doctor regularly to be screened for these conditions. Getting proper treatment is key, and managing one condition can help you better manage the others. If you have CKD, the best way to slow or prevent kidney damage is to reach your blood sugar and blood pressure goals.
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What Is High Blood Pressure
Your heart pumps blood through tubes called your arteries and veins. This causes pressure inside of these tubes, which is called blood pressure. Checking your blood pressure tells you how hard your heart is working to pump your blood.
Blood pressure that is too high means your heart is working too hard to pump your blood. This can harm your body, including your kidneys.
Can High Blood Pressure Cause Kidney Disease
Kidneys use blood vessels to clean your blood of wastes, toxins and excess fluid. High blood pressure means that high pressure is consistently being exerted against the walls of arteries throughout the body, which can damage blood vessels over time. Damage to blood vessels, including the hardening and narrowing of arteries around the kidneys, can prevent your kidneys from cleaning bloodeventually leading to kidney disease.
Kidney disease or kidney failure due to high blood pressure may take years to develop. If you are diagnosed with kidney disease, its important to know that there are things you can do to manage CKD and thrive.
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What Symptoms Or Signs Are Seen With Renal Hypertension
Although renal hypertension is hard to diagnose and usually has no symptoms, be aware of these signs:
- High blood pressure that is not controlled on three or more medications at their maximum doses, including a diuretic.
- High blood pressure at a young age.
- Stable high blood pressure that suddenly gets worse or is difficult to control.
- Kidneys that are not working well, which may occur suddenly.
- Narrowing of other arteries in the body, such as to the legs, the brain, the eyes and elsewhere.
- Sudden buildup of fluid inside the lungs, called pulmonary edema.
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Kidney Impairment Can Be Costly
Although renal impairment is often reversible if the offending drug is discontinued, the condition can be costly and may require multiple interventions, including hospitalization, Dr. Naughton explained. To help you avoid getting to that point, we learned about medications that commonly cause kidney damage from Rebekah Krupski, PharmD, RPh, pharmacy resident at the Cleveland Clinic and clinical instructor of pharmacy practice at Northeast Ohio Medical University.
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Why Are So Many Users Dissatisfied About Accuracy
How can CR find uniform accuracy and users not?
CR buys units at retail outlets.
Here is their measurement protocol: Accuracy is based on how the models readings compared with those taken on a mercury sphygmomanometer used by two trained testers.
The users had comparisons made at their physicians offices. Possibly, the users encountered less able comparisons in those offices than those made in the CR labs ie, the physician office testing is problematic. Possibly, units vary. Possibly, cuff placement makes a big difference, but in a physician office this is presumably supervised by a nurse. Possibly, most users are happy, comparisons at physician offices are fine, and they do not bother to write in.
How High Blood Pressure Can Damage Kidneys
High blood pressure the second leading cause of CKD is an increase in the force of blood as it flows through your blood vessels. Over time, that force can damage the tiny vessels in the nephrons, just as it can damage blood vessels throughout the body.
The vessels in the kidney are delicate, explains Dr. Leisman. Imagine two hoses: one is high pressure and one is low pressure. Both have water coming out, but the water coming from the high-pressure hose, over time, can lead to damage.
Leisman notes that treating high blood pressure is one of the cornerstones of preventing or slowing kidney damage. In fact, some of the most common drugs used to lower blood pressure are considered a standard treatment for CKD.
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What Are The Signs That Something Is Wrong With Your Kidneys
High Blood Pressure And Kidney Disease: Whats The Connection
2 Minute Read
High blood pressure and kidney disease often go hand in hand. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases ranks high blood pressure as the second leading cause of kidney failure. Diabetes is the first.
High blood pressure and kidney disease are common. According to the NIDDK, almost half of all American adults have high blood pressure. More than one in seven may have chronic kidney disease.
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What Are The Symptoms Of High Blood Pressure And Kidney Disease
Most people with high blood pressure do not have symptoms. In rare cases, high blood pressure can cause headaches.
Early CKD also may not have symptoms. As kidney disease gets worse, some people may have swelling, called edema. Edema happens when the kidneys cannot get rid of extra fluid and salt. Edema can occur in the legs, feet, ankles, orless oftenin the hands or face.
Symptoms of advanced kidney disease can include
- loss of appetite, nausea, or vomiting
- drowsiness, feeling tired, or sleep problems
- headaches or trouble concentrating
- chest pain or shortness of breath