Post Date December, 03 2023
01
Hypertension and kidney disease are good brothers in times of need
Previously, we discussed that high blood pressure can cause kidney damage. On the other hand, patients with chronic kidney disease often have hypertension. Taking the most common IgA nephropathy in China as an example, 39% of patients are diagnosed with hypertension. When combined with renal insufficiency, this proportion increases to 80%. So, why do kidney disease patients often develop hypertension?
02
The reasons why kidneys affect blood pressure
Generally speaking, hypertension is divided into two types based on its etiology: primary and secondary. The former refers to unexplained hypertension, while the latter refers to hypertension with a clear cause. It should be noted that chronic kidney disease is the most common cause of secondary hypertension, also known as renal hypertension in medicine.
There are two main causes of hypertension caused by kidney disease:
One is that renin is causing trouble. The kidney is the only organ in the human body that secretes renin. The main function of renin is to constrict blood vessels and increase blood pressure. The renin secreted by normal kidneys is just right, which can maintain blood pressure but does not cause excessive elevation of blood pressure. When there is a lesion in the kidney, the situation changes. At this point, the secretion of renin will suddenly increase, causing systemic arteriolar spasm and increasing arteriolar resistance, leading to hypertension.
The second is retention of water and sodium. In addition to eliminating toxins from the body, the kidneys are also responsible for the excretion of water and sodium salts in our bodies. Now that it is sick, water and sodium cannot be excreted, resulting in excessive blood volume. As we all know, patients with chronic glomerulonephritis often have edema, which is the most common manifestation of hypervolemia. Another consequence of hypervolemia is that it will cause the patient's blood pressure to rise. It can be seen that kidney disease is also one of the main culprits leading to hypertension.
