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High Blood Pressure & Kidney Infections

Your blood pressure and the health of your kidneys are intertwined. Your kidneys need blood to facilitate the filtration process and to release hormones that aid in maintaining healthy blood pressure. Therefore, high blood pressure can lead to kidney troubles, just as kidney troubles can raise your blood pressure.

  1. Pyleonephritis

    • Pyleonephritis is a type of urinary tract infection that affects your kidneys and ureter. The infection is caused by bacteria found on the skin, in the intestinal tract or in the stool. When these bacteria colonize your urinary system, usually through the urethra, they can cause irritation and inflammation. As the infection progresses, it moves up through the urethra to the bladder and finally to the kidneys. Untreated pyleonephritis can lead to reduced kidney function, kidney disease and ultimately total kidney failure.

    Hypertension

    • Blood pressure is the force your blood puts on the walls of your arteries and veins as it circulates through the body. Hypertension is another word for high blood pressure. Exercise and diet play a large part in reducing or causing hypertension. Hypertension also can be caused by certain underlying conditions, including diabetes and heart defects. Left untreated, hypertension can cause serious heart, brain and blood disorders.

    Effects of Hypertension on Kidney Function

    • Hypertension is dangerous to your kidneys. According to the Mayo Clinic, high blood pressure is the No.1 cause of kidney disease. Each of your kidneys has its own renal artery and renal vein. Each kidney also contains an intricate web of blood vessels that filter your blood. Hypertension weakens and can eventually destroy blood vessels. It also can cause an aneurysm in your kidneys--a bulge that develops in a weakened blood vessel's wall. Hypertension can make you more susceptible to developing kidney infections. Diseased kidneys are more likely to be infected by bacteria that have colonized the urinary tract.

    Effects of Pyleonephritis on Blood Pressure

    • On the other hand, kidney infections can lead to hypertension. If your kidney infection is allowed to worsen, you can develop kidney disease over time. One of the kidneys' jobs is to release a hormone called renin when they detect low blood pressure. Renin causes the blood vessels to constrict, making blood pressure rise. Kidneys that are damaged or diseased by infection do not function properly. They may not be able to accurately judge blood pressure and can release too much renin, causing hypertension.

    Prevention

    • Prevention is always better than treatment. Maintain a healthy diet and have an exercise routine. Not only can you prevent hypertension with a good diet and exercise, but you also can strengthen your immune system, giving your kidneys a better chance to fight off infection. Get frequent medical checkups and discuss any symptoms with your health care provider. This way you and your health care provider can catch hypertension or kidney infections right away.

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