In kidney disease, lowering blood pressure prevents heart attack and stroke: Study

In kidney disease, lowering blood pressure prevents heart attack and stroke. One in 10 people worldwide live with kidney disease, and many others may not even be aware that they have it, which puts their heart at risk.

Lead author of the study Prof. Vlado Perkovic said, “The findings highlight the key role blood pressure lowering has to play in preventing cardiovascular events among people with kidney disease who are already at high risk of having a heart attack or developing other forms of the disease. The study findings if implemented will help address the escalating burden of chronic diseases like cardiovascular and kidney diseases, stroke, and diabetes globally, and preventing unnecessary death and disability.”

“Blood pressure lowering as a treatment is simple, safe, easy to put into practice, and affordable, which makes these findings particularly relevant and immediately translatable into practice. There is little evidence that any particular type of blood pressure lowering drug provides greater or lesser protection against the risk of a cardiovascular event, so even many very cheap older blood pressure lowering drugs are effective,” added Perkovic.

Kidney disease prevalence continues to rise, largely in response to the growing number of diabetics and poor management of diabetes, as well as the rising rates of high blood pressure. One in three people worldwide has high blood pressure, and one in 10 has diabetes.

There is no cure for kidney disease, which could ultimately result in a kidney transplant. Treating kidney disease is quite expensive and receiving proper treatment can be difficult for those in low- to middle-income brackets due to the associated costs. It is estimated that by 2030 these diseases will claim 50 million lives a year with the global economic burden estimated to reach $13 trillion.

Kidney disease and high blood pressure

Blood pressure is the force with which your blood pushes against the blood vessel wall when your heart pumps it out. There are many reasons for high blood pressure, including high salt intake, extra weight, and lack of exercise.

High blood pressure can cause damage to the blood vessels in the kidneys, reducing their ability to function properly. Your blood vessels must stretch when the force of blood is high, and over time this constant stretching can leave scars, which weakens the blood vessels throughout the body and the kidneys.

In the damaged blood vessels in the kidneys, the functionality and waste-removing ability is compromised. As a result, extra fluid builds up in the body, further raising the blood pressure.

High blood pressure is the second leading cause of kidney failure in the United States after diabetes.