CVS Kidney Care

Control your blood pressure for better kidney health

High blood pressure is a leading cause of kidney disease and may make your condition worse. It can have no symptoms and is often called a “silent killer.” We’ll help you understand what it is and what you can do to maintain healthy levels.

What is blood pressure?

Blood pressure is the force of blood flow against the walls of your blood vessels, as blood flows away from your heart and around your body. High blood pressure makes your heart pump harder. It can both result from — and be from or cause — kidney disease.

How blood pressure affects your kidneys

Since your kidneys and heart work together, they depend on each other to work at their best. Your kidneys take out waste from your body, and higher blood pressure makes it harder for them to do their job. If your kidneys are not working well, waste will collect in your bloodstream. This makes it harder for your heart to work at its best and can cause other problems in your body.

How to measure blood pressure

You will see your blood pressure as two numbers. The first number shows your highest pressure during a heartbeat. The second number shows your lowest pressure between heartbeats.

Keeping your blood pressure lower helps prevent harm to your heart and kidneys. Research shows that patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) can lower their risk of death and heart-related problems by keeping a blood pressure reading of less than 120 mm Hg.1

Always ask your doctor if this target blood pressure is right for you. You can check our record chart for tips on how to check your own blood pressure at home and to track your readings.

Causes of high blood pressure

Being overweight, smoking or having too much salt in your diet are each believed to play a role in causing high blood pressure, but the exact causes remain unknown.

Lower your blood pressure with these tips

While there is no cure for high blood pressure, keeping a healthy lifestyle can help lower your levels and improve your overall health. Here’s what you can do:

Medicines can also help keep high blood pressure under control. Speak with your doctor about whether medications are right for you and find out if they recommend that you have more support. For some people, a blood pressure cuff is helpful for home use, and your doctor or nurse can show you how to use it. For tips and a tracking log visit: https://www.cvskidneycare.com/documents/my-blood-pressure.pdf

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This article was posted on February 18th, 2022