There’s undoubtedly a distinct connection between thriving in the face of kidney disease and maintaining balanced health, all-around. Any kind of extremes, whether they be declines or increases, can throw off kidney function when it’s already impaired. And, in the case of chronic kidney disease patients, these imbalances can often prove fatal. One component of cardiovascular health that needs to be maintained in a balanced state of equilibrium as much as possible, is hypertension or high blood pressure. A new study has identified a link between intensive blood pressure lowering and significant decline of renal function.
Doctor Elaine Ku of the University of California, San Francisco’s Dept. of Medicine Nephrology Division, along with her colleagues, had showcased previous study results which indicated acute kidney function declines higher than or equal to 20 percent, concurrent with active measures to significantly lower blood led to a much greater risk of escalating CKD into end-stage renal disease.
Researchers primarily tracked the decline of eGFR at various points (< 5%, 5-20%, 20%) at months 3-4 of the trial, comparing mortality rates of patients with normal blood pressure levels against those with blood pressure levels which were lowered through intensive means. Although the study authors complained about the lack of research into the correlation between blood pressure control and kidney decline, the data they unearthed seemed to offer some insight into another component of the kidney disease control equation.
Kidney disease, like many chronic illnesses, is a balancing act and often one has to weigh the pros of treating one condition against the potential cons of treatment side-effects. With hypertension, your doctor will be able to tell you whether it is at a serious enough level to warrant intensive methods of control or whether the risk to the kidneys would outweigh the benefit of such a protocol. Luckily, there are things you can do to maintain a stable blood pressure that isn’t too low or too high.
For High Blood Pressure (Anything Over 120/80)
- Reduce sodium (salt) intake, don’t season food with salty seasonings or add salt to sauces which often have tons of sodium already
- Maintain a healthy weight for your height and body type.
- Fit in fitness time, even with a brisk walk each day, you’ll be amazed at how it adds up in the long run.
- Avoid smoking, coffee and alcohol along with processed foods.
For Low Blood Pressure (Anything Below 90/60)
- Maintain your fluid intake throughout the day. Dehydration can often bring on low blood pressure.
- Make sure your vitamin B levels are sufficient, a B-12 deficiency could cause anemia and low bp.
- Avoid low blood pressure triggers like standing for long periods of time.
- Wearing compression stockings.
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