Blood pressure and kidneys affect each other. Because kidney disease can raise blood pressure, the biggest risk for people with kidney disease is heart attack or stroke, not kidney failure. Blood pressure control helps maintain kidney health.

What is kidney disease?

The term kidney disease describes a problem in which the kidneys do not function properly. It can also be called chronic kidney disease (CKD). This condition is usually mild, asymptomatic and can be treated by you and your GP, but sometimes it can lead to kidney failure and other serious health problems.

What is the function of the kidneys?

Kidneys play an important role in removing waste from the body and regulating blood pressure. They act as blood filters, removing excess water, waste and toxins from the body through urine. When your kidneys aren’t working properly, your body produces more fluid and waste.

Kidneys help regulate blood pressure by removing water and salt from the blood and produce hormones that help regulate blood pressure.

Hormones produced by the kidneys help maintain healthy red blood cells and bone health, and kidney disease can lead to anemia and bone disease.

How does high blood pressure cause kidney disease?

Your explanation highlights the critical relationship between high blood pressure and kidney function. Chronic uncontrolled hypertension can indeed damage blood vessels, particularly in the kidneys, leading to a condition called hypertensive nephropathy. The narrowed and hardened vessels reduce blood flow, impairing the kidneys’ ability to filter waste and regulate fluid levels in the body.

As you mentioned, this damage triggers the kidneys to release hormones, such as renin, to compensate for the reduced blood supply, which further elevates blood pressure. Over time, this vicious cycle can lead to chronic kidney disease (CKD) or even kidney failure if left untreated. It’s a key reason why managing blood pressure is crucial for maintaining kidney health.

What causes kidney disease?

Your detailed explanation covers several key risk factors for kidney disease. Here’s a brief overview of each factor:

Diabetes: It is indeed a major contributor to kidney disease, particularly diabetic nephropathy. High blood sugar levels damage the tiny blood vessels (glomeruli) in the kidneys, which can impair their filtering ability and cause protein leakage into urine (proteinuria). Over time, this damage can progress to kidney failure if not managed.

High cholesterol: Cholesterol buildup in the arteries (atherosclerosis) restricts blood flow, including to the kidneys, reducing their ability to function properly. Over time, this can worsen kidney function and increase the risk of kidney disease.

Smoking: Smoking not only raises blood pressure but also accelerates atherosclerosis, which limits blood flow to the kidneys, leading to further damage. Additionally, smoking can worsen existing kidney conditions.

Age: The kidneys naturally lose function as we age, and the likelihood of kidney disease increases. While aging alone may lead to mild or moderate kidney damage, other conditions like diabetes or hypertension can accelerate this decline.

Managing these risk factors is key to reducing the risk of developing chronic kidney disease (CKD) and maintaining overall kidney health.

How does high blood pressure affect the kidneys?

Your heart is the main part of our circulatory system, constantly pumping blood through our veins. Good circulation is essential for normal kidney function, and even minor circulation problems can impair kidney function and put you at risk for serious health problems.

Although veins take little energy to move blood, the pressure inside them can sometimes be very high. High blood pressure damages the blood vessels leading to the kidneys, causing them to harden or narrow.

As a result, less blood reaches the kidneys, making it difficult for the organs to function properly. Small blood vessels that filter blood to the kidneys can also be damaged.

Kidney failure

Kidney failure is a progressive disease in which kidney function gradually declines. One of the leading causes of kidney failure is high blood pressure. If high blood pressure is not treated on time, it can damage kidney function and lead to kidney failure.

The part of the kidney that gets damaged due to high blood pressure is called glomerulus. When the glomerulus is damaged, its filtering capacity is reduced and a protein called albumin enters the urine. The presence of this protein in the urine is a test that healthcare providers use to diagnose kidney disease.

A common symptom of kidney failure is swelling in the legs and feet because the body is unable to remove excess fluid. However, the disease may appear later as symptoms. That’s why it’s important to see your doctor regularly to catch problems early.High blood pressure may be a symptom, not the cause, of chronic kidney disease.

Reference

https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/kidney-disease/high-blood-pressure#:~:text=urinary%20tract%20system.-,How%20does%20high%20blood%20pressure%20affect%20the%20kidneys,may%20no%20longer%20work%20properly.

https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/high-blood-pressure/health-threats-from-high-blood-pressure/high-blood-pressure-and-your-kidneys

https://www.kidney.org/high-blood-pressure-and-chronic-kidney-disease

https://www.webmd.com/hypertension-high-blood-pressure/hypertension-related-kidney-disease

https://www.bloodpressureuk.org/your-blood-pressure/understanding-your-blood-pressure/why-is-high-blood-pressure-a-problem/kidney-disease-and-high-blood-pressure/

https://www.templehealth.org/about/blog/how-protect-my-kidneys-from-high-blood-pressure

https://healthmatch.io/high-blood-pressure/how-high-blood-pressure-affects-the-kidneys