[Understanding Nutrition, 12th Edition.rar
Addison Mauldin
Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against blood vessel walls as your heart pumps out blood. High blood pressure, also called hypertension, is an increase in the amount of force that blood places on blood vessels as it moves through the body.
Healthy kidneys filter about a half cup of blood every minute, removing wastes and extra water to make urine. The urine flows from each kidney to the bladder through a pair of thin tubes called ureters, one on each side of your bladder. Your bladder stores urine. Your kidneys, ureters, and bladder are part of your urinary tract system.
Blood pressure test results are written with the two numbers separated by a slash. The top number is called the systolic pressure and represents the pressure as the heart beats and pushes blood through the blood vessels. The bottom number is called the diastolic pressure and represents the pressure as blood vessels relax between heartbeats.
No matter what the cause of your kidney disease, high blood pressure can make your kidneys worse. If you have kidney disease, you should talk with your health care professional about your individual blood pressure goals and how often you should have your blood pressure checked.
Medicines 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), may be effective in slowing the progression of kidney disease.
Aim for at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity. These activities make your heart beat faster and may cause you to breathe harder. Start by trying to be active for at least 10 minutes at a time without breaks. You can count each 10-minute segment of activity toward your physical activity goal. Aerobic activities include
If you are overweight or have obesity, aim to reduce your weight by 7 to 10 percent during the first year of treatment for high blood pressure. This amount of weight loss can lower your chance of developing health problems related to high blood pressure.
Body Mass Index (BMI) is the tool most commonly used to estimate and screen for overweight and obesity in adults. BMI is a measure based on your weight in relation to your height. Your BMI can tell if you are at a normal or healthy weight, are overweight, or have obesity.
Following a healthy eating plan can help lower your blood pressure. Reducing the amount of sodium in your diet is an important part of any healthy eating plan. Your health care professional may recommend the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) eating plan. DASH focuses on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and other foods that are healthy for your heart and lower in sodium, which often comes from salt. The DASH eating plan
A registered dietitian can help tailor your diet to your kidney disease. If you have congestive heart failure or edema, a diet low in sodium 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.
Proteins break down into waste products that the kidneys filter from the blood. Eating more protein than your body needs may burden your kidneys and cause kidney function to decline faster. However, eating too little protein may lead to malnutrition, a condition that occurs when the body does not get enough nutrients.
The NIDDK conducts and supports clinical trials in many diseases and conditions, including kidney diseases. The trials look to find new ways to prevent, detect, or treat disease and improve quality of life.
You can view a filtered list of clinical studies on high blood pressure and kidney disease that are federally funded, open, and recruiting at www.ClinicalTrials.gov. You can expand or narrow the list to include clinical studies from industry, universities, and individuals; however, the National Institutes of Health does not review these studies and cannot ensure they are safe. Always talk with your health care professional before you participate in a clinical study.
The NIDDK has supported many research projects to learn more about the effects of high blood pressure on kidney disease including identifying genes related to a cholesterol protein that causes African Americans to be at higher risk for kidney disease.
[2] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Chronic Kidney Disease in the United States, 2019. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 2019.
[3] Assessing your weight and health risk. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Accessed October 2019. www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/lose_wt/risk.htm.
This content is provided as a service of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases(NIDDK), part of the National Institutes of Health. NIDDK translates and disseminates research findings to increase knowledge and understanding about health and disease among patients, health professionals, and the public. Content produced by NIDDK is carefully reviewed by NIDDK scientists and other experts.