High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is a very common health problem that affects millions of people all over the world. It happens when blood pushes too hard against the walls of the arteries.
Over time, this pressure can damage the blood vessels and raise the risk of serious problems like heart disease, stroke, and kidney failure.
There are many things that can cause high blood pressure. These include family history, getting older, being overweight, not getting enough exercise, smoking, and eating too much salt and unhealthy fat.
Because high blood pressure often has no clear symptoms, it is sometimes called the “silent killer.” Many people don’t even know they have it until it causes damage. That’s why it’s important to get your blood pressure checked regularly.
In many cases, people can lower their blood pressure by changing their lifestyle. This means exercising more, eating healthier food with less salt, quitting smoking, and drinking less alcohol. But for some people, lifestyle changes are not enough. They need to take medicine to help keep their blood pressure at a safe level.
Doctors use different kinds of medicines to treat high blood pressure. These include diuretics, ACE inhibitors, beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers, and angiotensin receptor blockers. Each type works in a different way, and doctors choose the best one based on the person’s needs.
Recently, a study from the University of Virginia raised concerns about some of these medications, especially ACE inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers. These drugs are very common and have helped many people with high blood pressure, heart failure, or heart attacks. But the new research found that using them for a long time might hurt the kidneys.
The scientists wanted to understand why people with very high blood pressure often have thick and stiff blood vessels in their kidneys. This can make it harder for the kidneys to work properly. They found that special cells in the kidneys, called renin cells, may be part of the problem.
Renin cells usually help control blood pressure by making a hormone called renin. But in some cases, these cells start to move into the walls of the kidney’s blood vessels. When that happens, the vessels become thicker and stiffer, and blood doesn’t flow through them as well.
The study also found that using ACE inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers for a long time can cause similar changes in kidney blood vessels. This was seen in both mice and people.
Even though these findings are important, the researchers say people should not stop taking their medicine. These drugs are still very useful for controlling high blood pressure and protecting the heart. More research is needed to understand how to keep the kidneys safe while using these treatments.
If you have high blood pressure, it’s important to keep track of it. Using a home blood pressure monitor, as your doctor recommends, can help you see how well your treatment is working. Reducing stress can also help. Activities like deep breathing, yoga, or meditation can be useful.
With the right mix of healthy habits, regular checks, and good treatment, many people with high blood pressure can live long and healthy lives.
This study was led by Dr. Maria Luisa Sequeira Lopez and was published in JCI Insight.
If you care about high blood pressure, please read studies about unhealthy habits that may increase high blood pressure risk, and drinking green tea could help lower blood pressure.
For more information about high blood pressure, please see recent studies about what to eat or to avoid for high blood pressure, and 12 foods that lower blood pressure.
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