How does High Blood Pressure Affect PKD

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.