Hypertensive Renal Disease

According to Healthline.com, 398,000 people were diagnosed with end-stage renal disease in 1998. Many of these people also had hypertension, or high blood pressure, one of the leading causes of kidney damage and disease. Early diagnosis of hypertensive renal disease can help prevent the need for a kidney transplant.

Definition

• Hypertensive renal disease is a condition in which an increased stress and pressure is put on the kidney, often caused by high blood pressure. The hypertension causes damage to the kidney's blood vessels and filters, affecting its ability to remove waste from the body, its primary function. When left untreated, hypertensive renal disease can lead to total renal failure, a condition that requires a kidney transplant.

Symptoms

• Aside from high blood pressure, there are several symptoms that are characteristic of renal disease. Some of the more common symptoms include severe fatigue, retention of fluids, anemia, nausea, vomiting and loss of appetite. People suffering from renal disease often experience a decrease in urine and find it difficult to urinate. Some common signs of end-stage renal failure are a yellow-brown skin color, muscle cramps and spasms, severe itching of the skin and perspiration that appears as whitish crystals.

Causes

• Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is the primary cause of hypertensive renal disease. If diagnosed early enough, a person with the condition can reverse it and prevent further damage to the kidney by eating a healthier diet and taking medications that lower blood pressure. Another common cause of hypertensive renal disease is diabetes. According to Healthline.com, 25 to 30 percent of all end-stage renal disease cases are caused by diabetes.

  African-Americans, Native Americans and Native Alaskans are at a higher risk of developing hypertensive renal disease. Family history and genetics also play a role in the chance a person will develop the condition. Research has shown that people who have a mutation of the HSD11B2 gene are likely to develop severe hypertension, leading to renal disease.

Diagnosis

• Hypertensive renal diseased can be diagnosed with a physical exam along with blood and urine analysis. Blood tests that show increased levels of creatinine and blood urea nitrogen indicate that the kidney has been damaged or is not working properly. Urine tests that show large amounts of protein in the urine also indicate the patient has developed kidney disease.

Treatment

• If a diagnosis is made early on, there are a few medications a patient can take to reverse the condition and prevent further progression of it. Two of the most common drugs, angiotensin converting enzymes (ACEs) and angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) are medications that lower blood pressure. ACEs work by widening the blood vessels to improve the amount of blood pumped through them by the heart. ARBs, on the other hand, work by decreasing the amount of chemicals that narrow the blood vessels, thereby allowing the blood to flow more easily.

  In cases where the kidney is beyond repair or has failed, a transplant will be required. Depending on the health of the patient and the function of the kidney, dialysis can be done to slow the deterioration of the kidney until the transplant can be performed. Dialysis is a procedure in which a machine is used to clean and filter the blood. This procedure is generally done three times a week.