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Renal function in the patient with hypertension

Norman Kenneth Hollenberg1

  • 1Department of Radiology and Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA 02115, USA. djpagecapo@rics.bwh.harvard.edu

The Medical Clinics of North America
|February 12, 2004
PubMed

Insights

The kidney can either cause or be a consequence of hypertension. However, all patients undergoing hypertension treatment will show some degree of kidney involvement.

Area of Science:

  • Nephrology
  • Cardiovascular Medicine
  • Hypertension Research

Background:

  • The relationship between the kidney and hypertension is complex and debated.
  • The kidney's role in hypertension can be multifaceted, acting as both a cause and a consequence.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To clarify the intricate relationship between kidney function and hypertension.
  • To elucidate the kidney's role in the pathogenesis and progression of hypertension.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on hypertension and kidney disease.
  • Analysis of clinical data examining kidney involvement in hypertensive patients.

Main Results:

  • The kidney can initiate or exacerbate hypertension.
  • Hypertension can lead to kidney damage, creating a cyclical relationship.
  • Treatment for hypertension invariably involves addressing kidney function.

Conclusions:

  • The kidney's role in hypertension is dynamic, being either a cause, consequence, or both.
  • Kidney involvement is a universal feature in patients receiving hypertension treatment.

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