High blood pressure and chronic kidney disease may very well go hand in hand in a vast number of CKD patients, but what’s a safe way to go about treating one ailment without aggravating the other? As we’ve stated before in a previous article, high blood pressure monitoring can be of extreme benefit to cases of CKD or suspected early stages of CKD before impaired kidney function becomes too severe. But beyond monitoring, what can one do to keep blood pressure stable?

According to a recent study, intensive treatment may not be the best solution for those simultaneously struggling with kidney disease. Researchers from the University of California Irvine Medical Center found that intensive treatment did not provide substantial cardiovascular benefit to those with lower eGFR levels, as many with CKD have. Furthermore, it actually raised the risk of acute kidney injury in the study participants.

As intensive therapies like heavy doses of blood pressure meds should be ruled out, or at least very carefully considered, what’s left to keep your blood pressure from skyrocketing? Diet and exercise of course! Consuming less sodium, stress reduction techniques like meditation and yoga, keeping your veggie and fruit intake high and getting moderate exercise can all go a long way in keeping your blood pressure stable, and it goes without saying, that routine monitoring is a must. 

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