Kidney: How high blood pressure and diabetes do the most damage

Your kidneys are strong, quiet workers that filter about half a cup of blood every minute to get rid of waste, keep fluids in balance, and control blood pressure through important hormones. But two of the most common health problems today, high blood pressure and diabetes, are always putting this life-saving process at risk. These diseases slowly hurt the small blood vessels in the kidneys, which makes them work less well over time. If you don't act quickly, this could cause chronic kidney disease, dialysis, or even kidney failure that could kill you.

High blood pressure puts a lot of stress on the fragile blood vessels in your kidneys. Arteriosclerosis is a condition in which blood flows too strongly and damages the small arteries, making them narrow, stiff, or scarred. This damage makes it harder for the kidneys to filter out waste and extra fluids because it slows down blood flow to them. As waste builds up, it makes things worse, like raising blood pressure, which starts a dangerous cycle. Hypertension is the second most common cause of kidney failure in the world because this ongoing damage can lead to chronic kidney disease over time.

Diabetes slowly hurts the small filters in your kidneys, which are called nephrons. Over time, too much sugar damages the small blood vessels, causing the filters to become leaky and letting protein into the urine. This damage that doesn't make a sound gets worse over time. Diabetes and high blood pressure often go together. Diabetes is the most common cause of chronic kidney disease in the world.

High blood sugar makes the small blood vessels in the kidneys weaker, and high blood pressure puts more stress on them, which makes them hurt faster and worse. What makes this pair so dangerous is that they don't show any signs of getting worse. Most people feel fine at first, but their kidneys are slowly getting worse. Diabetes and high blood pressure together greatly raise the risk of heart disease, stroke, and kidney failure.

Getting regular screenings is the first step in keeping your kidneys healthy, especially if you have high blood pressure, diabetes, or a family history of these conditions. Blood and urine albumin tests every year can help find damage early. Use ACE inhibitors or ARBs to keep your blood pressure below 130/80 mmHg. To lower the risk of damage to blood vessels, keep your A1C levels below 7%. Live a healthy life by eating a low-sodium, plant-based diet, working out for at least 150 minutes a week, keeping your weight in check, not smoking, and drinking only a little.High blood pressure and diabetes can damage your kidneys by slowly wearing down their filtering system every day. When taken together, they speed up kidney damage and raise the risks to your heart and overall health. The good news is that you can keep your kidneys strong by finding problems early, keeping a close eye on them, and living a healthy lifestyle.
Dr. Varun Mittal, Head - Kidney Transplant & Associate Chief - Uro-Oncology & Robotic Surgery, Artemis Hospitals