High blood pressure and kidney disease: a comprehensive review of the relationship between the two

Clinically, there is actually a certain relationship between high blood pressure and kidney disease. Many people who suffer from high blood pressure also have kidney disease. So, what is the relationship between the two?

(1) The kidneys play an important role in regulating blood pressure

1. The kidney's ability to regulate water and sodium affects blood pressure

The kidneys have the function of regulating water and sodium in the body. Once the kidney function is damaged, the water and sodium that cannot be excreted will be retained in the body, causing increased blood vessel pressure and increased blood pressure. Therefore, kidney disease is an important cause of high blood pressure.

2. The kidneys secrete hormones to regulate blood pressure

The kidney is also an important endocrine organ that secretes renin and vasotensin to regulate the body's blood pressure. If the kidney is damaged, the hormones that regulate blood pressure in the body will also be out of balance, causing blood vessels to tighten, increase vascular tension, and lead to high blood pressure.

(2) High blood pressure can also cause kidney disease

What is high blood pressure? When the systolic blood pressure is above 140 mmHg and the diastolic blood pressure is above 90 mmHg, it is high blood pressure.

If high blood pressure persists, the blood vessel walls are constantly under strong pressure, and the blood vessels will be damaged and develop into arteriosclerosis. Because of arteriosclerosis, blood flow is blocked, and the blood flow into the kidneys will also decrease, leading to kidney disease or accelerating existing damage. In addition, high blood pressure will become an accelerating factor for kidney disease caused by other diseases, such as diabetic nephropathy.

(III) Kidney disease and high blood pressure are mutually causal culprits

From this, we can see that kidneys and blood pressure affect each other. Once blood pressure rises, it will affect kidney function; conversely, when kidneys are not in good condition, it will also affect blood pressure. In clinical practice, it is common to see kidney disease and high blood pressure occur at the same time.

Whether it is to prevent hypertension from damaging the kidneys or kidney disease from causing hypertension, the most important thing is to maintain stable blood pressure and keep blood pressure below 130/80 mmHg as much as possible to effectively protect the kidneys and reduce the occurrence of cardiovascular complications.