Black Americans generally have an elevated risk for high blood pressure, a common cause of kidney disease. At the same time, having kidney disease can also cause high blood pressure.
It’s very important to manage your blood pressure to help prevent kidney disease. And even though high blood pressure is very common, lifestyle changes and/or the use of medications can play a significant role in the long-term course of high blood pressure and kidney disease.
What can I do to manage my blood pressure and kidney disease risk?
Your doctor or primary care provider (PCP) can help manage your blood pressure, which may reduce your risk of kidney disease.
“It is very important to have a [working relationship with a trusted] doctor so that you can work together to prevent the progression of kidney disease,” says Scherly Leon, MD, Internist specializing in Nephrology in New York City.
If you do have high blood pressure, your PCP should be monitoring your blood work and keeping tabs on the glomerular filtration rate (GFR), which is a calculation based usually on your blood results to show how well your kidneys are functioning.
You should also keep track of the following changes in your urine, which could mean your kidneys are in decline:
Darker or red color of the urine
Urine foaminess
Increased frequency (but smaller amount) of urination
If I already have kidney disease, what can I do to manage it?
If you already have kidney disease, Dr. Leon recommends a number of things to manage your symptoms and keep it from progressing. This includes:
Monitoring and carefully lowering your blood pressure
Taking medications as prescribed
Avoiding taking certain medications which could harm the kidneys; this may include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicines (NSAIDs), like aspirin and ibuprofen
Having a moderate protein intake based on what your kidney doctor or nutrition team suggests
Lowering salt and sugar in your diet
Developing a safe exercise regiment
Maintain good diabetes control
While any chronic disease diagnosis can be scary, you can partner with your care team to slow the progression of kidney disease. By taking medications to bring down your blood pressure, changing your diet, and increasing your exercise, you can keep your symptoms in check and avoid severe kidney disease.
The bottom line
High blood pressure is a leading cause of kidney disease, and Black Americans are at higher risk for both. It’s important to work with your primary care provider to monitor your blood pressure, blood work, GFR, and any changes in your urine. If you already have kidney disease, you can take medications, lower your blood pressure, avoid certain medications, and make dietary changes.
Why trust our experts?
Dr. Leon is a board-certified internist specializing in nephrology in New York City.
References
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. (2020). High blood pressure & kidney disease.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. (2023.) Race, ethnicity, and kidney disease.
National Kidney Foundation. (2022.) Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR).
