Hypertension (HTN) is an increase in blood pressure while passing through the vessels above the normal value of 120/80 mmHg. people are usually more likely to develop it with age. Uncontrolled high blood pressure is a major risk of coronary artery diseases, atrial fibrillation, heart failure, chronic kidney disease and dementia.
Uncontrolled Hypertension will lead to constriction of the blood vessels and they will get narrower, that will reduce the blood flow throughout the body, including the kidneys. Therefore, high blood pressure is one of the main factors in the development of chronic kidney disease.
Hypertension is an asymptomatic disease, but if the blood pressure is above 180/120 mmHg (hypertensive crisis), then some symptoms are noted such as:
The best way to know if you have Hypertension is to get regular blood pressure readings. it’s not necessarily to have all of the above symptoms as It’s often known as “silent disease”.
Lifestyle changes may help control high blood pressure (in hypertensive patients in general and kidney patients in particular):
Although the main ways to treat Hypertension in people with kidney disease, besides making lifestyle changes, is to start taking Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors or angiotensin-receptor antagonists (ARBs).
Some cases require the use of two or more than one category to control high blood pressure. Your doctor may prescribe a diuretic, which is a drug that helps the kidneys to remove the extra fluid from the blood and increases the urine output.
