Many people will have high blood pressure without symptoms but it can be potentially harmful to organs, such as the kidneys. It’s important to understand how high blood pressure and kidney health are connected, so that your doctor can determine how to best manage your two conditions to prevent long term damage.
What High Blood Pressure Does to Your Kidneys
Filtering waste products from blood, regulating the amount of fluid in the body and helping control blood pressure are all important functions of the kidneys. Damage to the kidney’s blood vessels, for example from high blood pressure, can decrease the kidneys’ capacity to filter blood.
Hypertension stresses the small blood vessels (glomeruli) within the kidneys, causing them to break easily. Because of this, the vessels become weakened, as do the kidneys’ ability to remove waste and excess fluid leading to fluid retention, electrolyte imbalances, and a buildup of toxins in the body.
Hypertension can be a Leading Cause of Kidney Disease
For many people, chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a result of not having or getting proper control of high blood pressure. In early stages, there may be only mild kidney damage with few symptoms. Though, the way the disease progresses, kidney function decreases and more serious symptoms raise.
Hypertension is a leading cause of CKD, which it often contributes to if untreated or under controlled. If high blood pressure isn’t treated, it can speed up the progression of kidney damage to kidney failure. Patients will have symptoms of worsening of kidney function, such as fatigue, ankle and leg swelling, nausea, concentration problems as well as other symptoms.
Symptoms of Kidney Damage from High Blood Pressure
Changes in urination, such as frequent urination, not urinating enough, swollen ankles or feet, feeling tired without a reason, and having trouble breathing, may be early warning signs of kidney problems. If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, it’s important to consult the best nephrologist in Karachi for timely diagnosis and treatment. As kidney function gets worse, some people develop more serious symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, and confusion.
Protecting Your Kidneys When You Have High Blood Pressure
● Following a healthy diet, including a low sodium diet featuring lots of fruits, vegetables and whole grains, can reduce blood pressure levels. Blood pressure can also be in check by regular physical activity, such as aerobic exercises: walking, jogging or swimming.
● Stress management techniques, such as meditation or deep breathing exercises, can also reduce blood pressure.
● Being at a healthy weight, abstinence from alcohol, and non smoking can help you control your hypertension as well as keep your kidneys healthy.
● People are often given medication to help control high blood pressure. Diuretics, ACE inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs), or calcium channel blockers may be among these.
People with high blood pressure who take medications for their high blood pressure and who test their blood pressure regularly need to make sure it stays within a healthy range.
How Kidney Disease from High Blood Pressure is Treated
Some individuals with end stage kidney disease (ESKD) will require dialysis, in order to remove waste and fluid from the body. Hemodialysis is dialysis through a machine that filters blood from a patient; peritoneal dialysis uses the lining of the patient’s abdomen to filter waste.
For those whose kidneys have stopped working because of high blood pressure, a kidney transplant may be the only long term option. This procedure may cure, but you will live on lifelong immunosuppressive medications to prevent organ rejection.
In the early stages of kidney disease, the best nephrologist in Lahore can prescribe medications which slow down the progression of kidney damage. They may be drugs to control blood pressure, reduce the amount of protein in the urine, or improve kidney function.
Prevention Strategies
The best way to take care of your kidneys is to keep high blood pressure from happening or from getting worse. Early detection is achieved through regular health check-ups and blood pressure monitoring. People with a family history of hypertension or kidney disease need to watch out.
To keep high blood pressure and its effect on your kidneys under control, develop healthy routines. A healthy diet, regular exercise, not smoking, and avoiding excess alcohol are all measures to maintain healthy blood pressure. Other helpful practices include reducing stress, getting enough sleep, and following medical advice from a qualified nephrologist.
Conclusion
If you have high blood pressure it can have a devastating effect on kidney health. Hypertension, if not controlled, can lengthen to chronic kidney disease, and certainly to renal failure. By leading a healthy lifestyle, taking prescribed medications and checking blood pressure and kidney function on a regular basis, people can protect their kidneys from the long term effects of high blood pressure. It’s important to intervene early to help prevent kidney damage and promote long term good health.
