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Does Kidney Disease Cause Hypertension?

  • Pathogenesis of Hypertension (R Agarwal, Section Editor)
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Abstract

Hypertension complicates most cases of chronic kidney disease. While the prevalence and severity of hypertension increase as glomerular filtration rate falls, hypertension is often observed in patients with structural kidney disease while renal function is normal, in particular those with polycystic kidney disease or proteinuric glomerular diseases. On the other hand, even severe reductions in renal function may not result in hypertension, especially if there is effective control of extracellular fluid volume. Recent clinical and experimental data indicate that proteinuria may mediate sodium retention and hypertension via plasmin-mediated activation of the epithelial sodium channel. Current evidence supports the notion that chronic kidney disease is a cause of chronic hypertension, even in the absence of detectable changes in glomerular filtration rate.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by resources and use of facilities at the VA Connecticut Health Care System, West Haven, CT.

Disclosures

A.J. Peixoto: none; M. Orias: payment for lectures including service on speakers bureau from Novartis; G.V. Desir: none.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Medical Service, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA

    Aldo J. Peixoto & Gary V. Desir

  2. Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Nephrology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA

    Aldo J. Peixoto & Gary V. Desir

  3. Nephrology Service, Sanatorio Allende, Cordoba, Argentina

    Marcelo Orias

  4. Medical Service–111, 950 Campbell Avenue, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA

    Aldo J. Peixoto

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  1. Aldo J. Peixoto
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Correspondence to Aldo J. Peixoto.

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Peixoto, A.J., Orias, M. & Desir, G.V. Does Kidney Disease Cause Hypertension?. Curr Hypertens Rep 15, 89–94 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11906-013-0327-6

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