Pretty sure you've heard the 'rumor' high blood pressure can cause damage to your kidneys.
To start off, High Blood Pressure is an increase in the amount of force that the blood exerts on blood vessels as it moves through the body.
Kidneys are two small organs in the body that continuously filter out wastes and excess water from the blood. These wastes and excess water make up urine that flows down to the bladder for excretion.
How High Blood Pressure affects the Kidneys
High blood pressure can eventually damage and weaken the blood vessels in the body, including those in the kidneys. This narrowing reduces blood flow.
When the kidneys’ blood vessels are damaged, they may no longer work properly hence not able to remove all wastes and extra fluid from your body. Extra fluid in the blood vessels can raise your blood pressure even more creating a dangerous cycle and cause more damage leading to kidney failure.
In addition to high blood pressure, other factors that increase your risk of kidney disease are
- Diabetes
- Family history of kidney failure
- Race or ethnicity - some races like African, Americans, Indians...... tend to have a greater risk of developing Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD)
Have you checked your blood pressure recently?
If not, take this simple but crucial step and have your blood pressure level checked to stay ahead of potential risks.
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Symptoms of Kidney Disease
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea and vomiting
- Dry or darkened skin
- Drowsiness & fatigue
- Persistent headaches
- Increased or decreased urination
- Generalized itching or numbness
- Weight loss
- Muscle cramps
- Chest pain or shortness of breath
Diagnosis of Kidney disease involves the following tests:
- Urine test to check for albumin (a protein that can pass into the urine when the kidneys are damaged)
- Blood test to check how well the kidneys are filtering out wates from the blood commonly refereed to as Glomerular Filtration Rate.
Some tips on how you can prevent or slow the progression of kidney disease from high blood pressure
- Take any prescribed medications without fail
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Be physically active
- Quit smoking
- Eat a healthy balanced diet - Should be low in sodium
Take charge of your health! Want to learn more?
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Written by Hannah Ndichu