- Hypertension as a Cause of Kidney Disease:
- Uncontrolled high blood pressure can damage the tiny blood vessels in the kidneys, which are responsible for filtering waste and excess fluid from the blood.
- Over time, this damage can lead to kidney disease and even kidney failure.
- Specifically, high blood pressure can cause the arteries in and around the kidneys to narrow, weaken, or harden, which reduces blood flow to the kidneys and impairs their function.
- Kidney Disease as a Cause of Hypertension:
- Damaged kidneys are less able to regulate blood pressure, leading to an increase in blood volume and sodium retention, which can raise blood pressure.
- Kidney disease can also cause the release of certain hormones that raise blood pressure.
- The Vicious Cycle:
- The damage caused by high blood pressure to the kidneys can further impair their ability to regulate blood pressure, leading to even higher blood pressure, and so on.
- This creates a cycle where high blood pressure damages the kidneys, and the damaged kidneys make it harder to control blood pressure, leading to further kidney damage.
- Importance of Control:
- Controlling high blood pressure is crucial for protecting kidney health and slowing the progression of kidney disease.
- This can involve lifestyle changes, such as a healthy diet, regular exercise, and quitting smoking, as well as medication to lower blood pressure.
- Kidney Disease and Hypertension: A Destructive Combination
- Hypertension is a strong determinant of worse renal and cardiovascular outcomes, and renal function decline aggravates hypertension.
- Uncontrolled hypertension is also associated with a higher risk for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.
- Blood Pressure Goals in CKD
- Blood pressure goals in patients with chronic kidney disease and hypertension are set at lower levels than for patients with essential hypertension alone.
- Consensus guidelines for blood pressure targets have adopted a blood pressure <120/80 mm Hg in native chronic kidney disease and <130/80 mm Hg in kidney transplant recipients.
