With the development of PKD, many patients will present high blood pressure.
What causes high blood pressure in PKD? How does high blood pressure affect your
disease?
What causes high blood pressure in PKD?
In patients with PKD, there are numerous cysts growing in renal parenchyma.
The gradual enlarged cysts will compress the normal renal tissues, causing short
supply of oxygen and blood in kidneys. Then the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone
system (RAAS) , an automatic system in human body used to control blood
pressure, can be activated.
In this condition, the jusxtaglomerular cells in kidneys will secrete
increased number of renin. Renin is a kind of proteolytic enzyme which can
promote the hydrolysis of proangiotensin existing in the plasma. The hydrolysate
can be further decomposed by angiotensin-converting-enzyme (ACE) into
angiotensin II, which can shrink the micro-arteries in human body, causing
elevated blood pressure levels.
How does high blood pressure affect PKD?
For patients with PKD accompanied with high blood pressure, if the high blood
pressure can not get well controlled, there will present further damages to the
kidneys, and patients may appear elevated creatinine levels. Further
deterioration of kidney disease will lead to continuous increase of blood
pressure, make heart enlarge, and eventually, heart failure will be caused.
In cases of rapid deterioration, Chronic Renal Failure, or even end-stage
renal disease (ESRD) can be caused due to severe damages of kidneys. Therefore,
we need to treat the high blood pressure in PKD as early as possible.
However, treatment for high blood pressure in kidney disease is different
from that of primary hypertension. We should focus on treat PKD so that we can
remit the suppression of cysts to the kidneys and slow down or even block the
progression of illness condition. In this way, we can treat high blood pressure
fundamentally.