Hypertensive Nephropathy Summary:
Hypertensive nephropathy refers to renal failure caused by long term hypertention and is called Nephrosclerosis on diagnosis. It is common in elder hypertention patients whose urine protein in 24h is less than 1g and without other renal pathological changes. Hypertention is known to induce kidney disease, and vice versa. In addition most renal failure patients not undergo renal biopsy, so the rate of Nephrosclerosis is possible highly estimated.
Cause of hypertensive nephropathy
Renal blood flow volume takes up about 1/5-1/4 of cardiac output, and kidney is composed of numerous microvascular plexus, so high blood pressure will damage kidney without doubt. Long-term hypertention will induce block and atherosclerosis in arteries. If the pathological change is in renal arteries, renal infarct may occur, and there will be symptoms like urine protein and high blood pressure.
Since hypertention and renal injury affect each other, they will aggravate the disease together.
Is hypertensive nephropathy the same as renal hypertention?
There is no obvious functional or structural change in the early stage of hypensive nephripathy.
Long time high blood pressure can lead to less blood flow in the kidney, thus causing renal arteriosclerosis. Day by day, renal function will be damaged. The kidney may even shrink. At the early stage of hypensive nephripathy, patients can have high blood pressure or have no high blood pressure. With time passing by, water and sodium will accumulate into the body, and influence the balance of endocrine hormone. High blood pressure can lead to damage in the kidney, leading to hypensive nephripathy. And hypensive nephripathy will in turn lead to further or higher blood pressure. they interact each other in other words. So at the early stage of high blood pressure, people should control their high blood pressure and stop it worsing or leading to further damage.
