A new study from the Medical University of Vienna shows that high blood pressure on its own—without other health problems like diabetes—can cause early damage to the kidneys.
The findings were published in the journal Hypertension and highlight the importance of detecting and treating high blood pressure early to prevent kidney disease.
The research team, led by Christopher Paschen, Rainer Oberbauer, and Heinz Regele, studied kidney tissue from 99 people. Some of these people had high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes, while others had neither condition.
The samples came from kidney surgeries performed between 2013 and 2018 to remove kidney tumors. Only the healthy parts of the removed kidneys were studied.
The scientists focused on tiny structures in the kidney called podocytes. These are special cells in the kidney’s filtering units, called glomeruli, that play a key role in filtering waste from the blood. The size and number of podocytes are good indicators of kidney health.
To examine the samples, the team used modern imaging tools and artificial intelligence. They trained a deep-learning algorithm to automatically scan and measure the podocytes and glomeruli in digital images of the kidney tissue.
The results showed that people with high blood pressure had fewer podocytes and that the nuclei of their podocyte cells were larger. These changes were seen even in people who did not have type 2 diabetes. According to lead author Christopher Paschen, these changes may be the earliest visible signs that kidney function is starting to decline.
This means that high blood pressure by itself can begin to damage the kidneys—before any symptoms appear or blood tests show a problem. That’s why early detection and consistent treatment of high blood pressure are so important.
Chronic kidney disease is a serious condition that affects millions of people worldwide. High blood pressure and type 2 diabetes are the two most common causes. While scientists already know a lot about how diabetes harms the kidneys, this study gives new evidence that high blood pressure alone can cause structural damage as well.
The researchers hope their findings will lead to earlier detection and better treatment strategies to protect kidney health, especially in people with high blood pressure.
If you care about high blood pressure, please read studies that early time-restricted eating could help improve blood pressure, and coconut sugar could help reduce blood pressure and artery stiffness.
For more information about blood pressure, please see recent studies about added sugar in your diet linked to higher blood pressure, and results showing plant-based foods could benefit people with high blood pressure.
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