Hypertension

How can people prevent or slow the progression of kidney disease from high blood pressure?

The best way to slow or prevent kidney disease from high blood pressure is to take steps to lower blood pressure. These steps include a combination of medication and lifestyle changes.

No matter what the cause of the kidney disease, high blood pressure can increase damage to the kidneys. People with kidney disease should keep their blood pressure below 140/90.4

Medication

Medications that lower blood pressure can also significantly slow the progression of kidney disease. Two types of blood pressure-lowering medications, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), have been shown effective in slowing the progression of kidney disease. Many people require two or more medications to control their blood pressure. In addition to an ACE inhibitor or an ARB, a health care provider may prescribe a diuretic—a medication that helps the kidneys remove fluid from the blood. A person may also need beta blockers, calcium channel blockers, and other blood pressure medications.

Eating, Diet, and Nutrition

Following a healthy eating plan can help lower blood pressure. A health care provider may recommend the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) eating plan. DASH focuses on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and other foods that are heart healthy and lower in sodium, which often comes from salt.A dietitian may also recommend this type of diet for people who have already developed kidney disease. A diet low in sodium and liquid intake can help reduce edema and lower blood pressure. Reducing saturated fat and cholesterol can help control high levels of lipids, or fats, in the blood.Health care providers may recommend that people with kidney disease eat moderate or reduced amounts of protein, though the benefits of reducing protein in a person’s diet is still being researched. Proteins break down into waste products that the kidneys filter from the blood. Eating more protein than the body needs may burden the kidneys and cause kidney function to decline faster. However, protein intake that is too low may lead to malnutrition, a condition that occurs when the body does not get enough nutrients. People with kidney disease who are on a restricted protein diet should be monitored with blood tests that can show low nutrient levels.