The development of kidney pathologies It is strongly related to blood pressure. As Igor Romaniouk, a nephrologist at the Hospital Vithas Valencia October 9“chronic kidney failure is associated with high blood pressure and, in turn, this rise in blood pressure causes progressive kidney damage, significantly accelerating kidney failure.”
According to the specialist, “high blood pressure makes the heart work with more resistance, which produces a growth of its walls. On the other hand, that high pressure inside the arteries is going to cause significant damage to the vessel wall which, over time, can damage the blood vessels of many important organs such as the brain, heart, and kidneys. Other preventable factors that can affect kidney function include obesity, diabetes, having very high uric acid, and intake of nephrotoxic drugs being the most important drug group the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs”.
Since people with high blood pressure are at higher risk of developing chronic kidney disease and in general there are no signs or symptoms that blood pressure is too high, for the professional “it is important to control it regularly, especially if you have a family history”, and points out “blood pressure is one of the main causes of attacks heart attacks, strokes, and chronic kidney disease. Controlling high blood pressure reduces the risk of these complications.”
romaniouk ago special emphasis on prevention“control blood pressure, lose weight, practice moderate physical activity for 20-30 minutes every day, follow a Mediterranean diet, avoid pre-cooked products (because they have a high concentration of salt), stop smoking and reduce consumption of salt and alcohol is very important”, comments the professional and underlines “although high blood pressure cannot be cured, it can be controlled”.
How can I know if my kidneys are damaged?
Blood and urine tests show how well the kidneys are removing impurities from the body. “They are made creatinine and urea blood tests, -says the specialist-; If there is an elevation of creatinine and/or urea in the blood, this means that there is damage to the kidneys. In urinalysis, if proteinuria appears, that is, protein in the urine, it is an indicator that there is an alteration in the kidney filter. The appearance of proteinuria is associated with an increase in heart disease and with greater damage to blood vessels.
The importance, therefore, of carrying out routine annual or semi-annual check-ups, a blood and urinary sediment analysis is key “and in the case of hypertensive patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), carrying out an exhaustive control of blood pressure (BP) to minimize progression is essential”.
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