Understanding Hypertension for Kidney Health
Blood pressure is the force when the blood pushes against the walls of your blood as your heart pumps. High blood pressure can lead to a host of health-related challenges. While most typically associate blood pressure with the heart, it affects other organ systems, including the kidneys.
Increased blood flow forces more blood through the kidneys, putting stress on its delicate blood vessels. Over time this can damage the kidneys, reducing blood flow and oxygen supply. Hypertension can lead to poor kidney health and kidney disease, though most people don’t have any symptoms. This is why it’s so important to have your blood pressure measured regularly.
Symptoms
Hypertension usually shows no noticeable symptoms under normal conditions, but severe hypertension may show some signs, such as:
- Headache
- Chest pain
- Shortness of breath
- Nausea and vomiting
- Vision changed
- Numbness or weakness in the arms, leg, and face
- Confusion
Risk Factors
- Smoking
- Overweight
- Lack of physical activity
- High salt intake
- Drinking more than 1-2 alcoholic drinks per day
- Older age
- Family history
- Race (African Americans have high blood pressure more often and more severely than White Americans)
- Having chronic kidney disease
Treatment Options
While there is no cure for high blood pressure, you can live a normal, healthy, and full life through lifestyle changes and medications. In fact, for mildly high blood pressure, lifestyle changes alone may be enough.
Through our continuum of care, we’re here to provide you with a personalized, evidence-based treatment plan for hypertension and kidney health.
How We Help
At KidneyCare Oklahoma, our treatment doesn’t stop when you leave our clinic. As your trusted partner in kidney health, we provide ongoing support, including medication, monitoring, and education.