Kidneys are vital body parts that remove toxic and waste material from the body. Good health depends on good functioning of these organs. Unfortunately, the most common condition, which can damage these organs or worse result into Kidney failure, is hypertension or high blood pressure.

During hypertension, blood flows with greater pressure through the blood vessels. Over time these blood vessels of the kidneys as well as that of other body parts start getting damaged by this excessive pressure. At this point, kidney function is impaired and in turn raises the blood pressure to cause a vicious cycle. Ultimately kidney failure sets in. Diseases of the kidneys also cause hypertension, which is technically known as secondary hypertension and they are the main cause of this anomaly in children and young adults. Congenital abnormalities of the kidney, renal artery stenosis, infections, tumours of kidney are such conditions associated with this effect. Hypertension has far adverse effects and in developing countries, most people succumb to renal failure. This is because hypertension and kidney problems are closely linked. However Kidney damage is further aggravated if diabetes is present in addition to hypertension. Early renal failure can go on unnoticed and may be only be detected through routine laboratory tests. As the disease progresses, the quantity of urine passed out reduces. This may not be noticed until it becomes severe.

With symptoms appearing at later stages, the affected individual develops swelling over face and then over whole body, anemia, vomiting, and weakness. Chronic renal failure can be diagnosed by specific laboratory tests like measuring blood urea, creatinine levels, urinary proteins, and glomerular filtration rates. It is hard to revive damaged kidneys because drugs, which are prescribed, are only for controlling the vomiting, weakness, and hypertension among other manifestations of renal malfunction. Instead dialysis is used to remove the toxins from the body but it has many adverse effects besides painful it inflicts on kidney patients.

Ultimate treatment lies in renal transplant, a cumbersome and expensive procedure. Moreover, one has to find a kidney, which matches very well with the tissue typing of the person in need. Mostly it is a blood relative who is suitable for donation of a kidney. Even after that, there is risk of rejection of the grafted kidney. To prevent that, long term immune suppressive drugs are used which further weaken a person. It is therefore important to keep the blood pressure well controlled to avoid kidney damage. This is possible through life style measures like reduction of body weight, low fat and salt diet, regular physical exercise and mental relaxation. Avoidance of alcohol is very useful in preventing hypertension.

Good compliance with drugs for hypertension and diabetes is mandatory to keep these conditions under control. Those suffering from hypertension should get tests for kidney function done once every year to detect any damage as early as possible. Those suffering from kidney diseases should adhere to medication to ensure that hypertension remains controlled without risks of kidney damage. If all the necessary interventions are used well, a person living with hypertension can have a good quality of life by keeping the pressure controlled. Dr. Rachna Pande E-mail-rachna212002@yahoo.co.uk