Can Kidney Damage from High Blood Pressure be Reversed?
High blood pressure can damage your blood vessels, which in turn, affect your many vital organs, including the kidneys. A normal blood pressure reading is below 120/80 mm Hg. If you have multiple readings showing a blood pressure higher than normal, you may have hypertension.
It’s important to visit a multispecialty hospital in Navi Mumbai and get prescription medication for keeping your blood pressure levels under control. The question is, how does it affect your kidneys, and whether it’s possible to reverse kidney damage caused by hypertension. Let’s find out.
Effect of High Blood Pressure on Your Kidneys
Your kidneys filter the blood in your body around 40 times a day. They have tiny blood vessels through which the blood passes and gets filtered. The waste products are expelled through urine. High blood pressure can damage these small blood vessels over time, making it harder for your kidneys to do their jobs effectively.
As a result, their filtration capacity declines. This can lead to excess waste, fluid, and salt in your body. The swelling in the feet is a common sign of a kidney disease. It signals fluid retention. This can progress into chronic kidney disease or kidney failure.
Kidneys release a hormone called renin, which regulates your blood pressure. When your kidneys aren’t functioning optimally, they may not eliminate excess fluid from your blood. This fluid buildup can increase blood pressure, which worsens your kidney disease. The cycle continues.
Can Kidney Damage from High Blood Pressure be Reversed?
There’s no clear-cut answer to this. If the damage is minimal, your kidney function can be restored by restoring your blood pressure to normal levels. To stabilize your kidneys, you may have to take prescribed medication, follow a kidney-friendly diet, and adopt a healthy lifestyle.
If the tissues have scarred, the reversal may not be possible. That’s because the scarred kidney tissues can’t be regenerated. However, you can slow the progression of the disease by controlling the blood pressure (if it’s the only underlying cause of CKD).
In patients diagnosed with end-stage kidney disease, dialysis and kidney transplant are the only viable treatment options for survival. See a kidney specialist in Navi Mumbai to discuss your treatment options based on the severity of the damage.
Tips for Reversing Kidney Damage
These tips can help improve your kidney function:
Keep Your Blood Pressure in Check: The doctor may recommend vasodilators to widen the blood vessels for smooth blood flow, ACE inhibitors, and ARBs to stabilize your BP, and Beta Blockers to make it easier for your heart to pump blood effectively. Take your prescription medicines following the right dosage.
Eat Right: Limit salt consumption to 5-6g a day. Your doctor might also advise you to limit protein, potassium, and even fluid intake. Eat leafy greens, fresh fruits, whole grains, and other kidney-friendly foods.
Follow a Healthy Lifestyle: Avoid alcohol and smoking, as they might damage your blood vessels and cause high blood pressure. Exercise regularly to maintain a healthy weight and regulate blood pressure.
Seek medical help immediately if you notice foamy urine, reduced urine output, shortness of breath, swelling in the ankle, face, or legs, and fatigue.