What is Hypertensive Nephropathy?
Hypertensive nephropathy is a kidney disease that occurs as a result of high blood pressure. This disease is characterized by damage to the vasculature of the kidneys as blood pressure increases.
There are two types of hypertensive nephropathy. These are benign nephrosclerosis and malignant nephrosclerosis. Benign nephrosclerosis is most present in people over 60 years old while the rare malignant nephrosclerosis occurs only in 1 to 5 percent of people with hypertension.
Benign nephrosclerosis seldom result to kidney failure. If severe damages to the kidney have occurred, the patient may not have enough renal reserve, making the body too weak to cope with possible surgery or the incidence of an acute disease.
Malignant nephrosclerosis only occurs in a case of hypertension with diastolic blood pressure exceeding 130mm Hg. This is present in patients that already have an existing kidney disease that developed into malignant hypertension. At the beginning of hypertension, blood and protein may appear in the urine and, over time, kidney function will deteriorate. The patient will eventually suffer from kidney failure. This condition will be very critical and immediate lowering of the blood pressure is needed to preserve the kidney’s function.
Blood tests are needed in diagnosing hypertensive nephropathy to determine the condition of the kidneys and their functioning. This may also require collection of urine for 24 hours to measure the extent of the kidney disease that is connected with high blood pressure.
For treating hypertensive nephropathy, it is very important to control or lower down the blood pressure. It is the most effective way in managing both benign and malignant nephrosclerosis. The doctor can provide you medication using anti-hypertension drugs that basically removes risks of further damaging the kidneys. Also, the use of these drugs is important to comply with the therapy in reducing high blood pressure.
For malignant nephrosclerosis, aggressive ways to lower blood is needed because damage in the kidneys is more rapid compared to benign nephrosclerosis. The patient should be admitted to the hospital because intravenous medicines are used to speed up the lowering of blood pressure that can prevent further damages to the kidneys.
The most common drugs used are thiazide, frusemide, hydralazine and diuretics. These drugs can reduce the blood pressure rapidly and can save kidney functions if taken immediately. If worse comes to worst, meaning if the kidney failure is not controlled by conventional ways, dialysis may be required. Dialysis usually enables the patient to slowly recover from the kidney disease.
Hypertensive nephropathy, like most other diseases, can be prevented if you take active steps in guarding your health such as maintaining a proper diet, regular exercise and abstinence from vices.
Related Articles
Leave a Comment