|
How does hypertension affect my chances of getting kidney disease?
Kidneys are just as important as your heart in keeping your blood pressure in a healthy range, and blood pressure can also affect your kidneys. In fact, hypertension can cause damage to your kidneys. So how does it do this? A prolonged high blood pressure makes your heart work harder, and by doing so causes damages to all the blood vessels in your body as well as your heart. If the blood vessels in your kidney become damaged, they may not be able to perform their function of removing wastes and excess fluid. If this is not removed it will raise your blood pressure even more launching into a dangerous cycle. High blood pressure is one of the leading causes of kidney failure, which is also called end-stage renal disease(ESRD).
Like hypertension, kidney damage can go unnoticed for a long time and can only be detected by medical tests that show the presence of excess serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen(BUN), or protein in your urine(proteinuria). Proteinuria has also been shown to be associated with heart disease and damaged blood vessels.
|
|
| |
|
Healthy Living® Blood Pressure FAQ
|
| |
|
Healthy Living™ Thermometer FAQ
|
| |
|
Healthy Living™ Nebulizer FAQ
|
The information provided on this web site is provided for information purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for professional advice. Please consult your physician with any questions or concerns.
|
|