Kidney Disease and Hypertension

Kidney disease is a chronic condition where the kidneys are no longer functioning properly.

Hypertension is a condition where blood pressure levels are elevated above what is considered to be normal.

Both of these conditions have varying levels of severity and need to be monitored closely. In some patients, these conditions can occur at the same time.

Doctor’s Orders

It is of the utmost importance that anyone with kidney disease with hypertension pays close attention to doctor’s orders. Take careful notes and listen closely to any recommendations he or she might give you.

Medications

In many cases, medication may be needed to treat kidney disease with hypertension. Make sure to take any and all medications prescribed as directed by your physician. If you ever have any questions about how and when to take your medications, no matter how small, make sure to ask.

Monitor and Record

It is a good idea to monitor your blood pressure levels at home and record the values in a diary that you can share with your physician. Home blood pressure monitors can be found at almost any pharmacy store.

Diet and Exercise

Your physician will probably discuss diet and exercise with you. It is important for you to follow these recommendations. The proper diet and exercise can often make the biggest difference and my even reduce the need for medications.

Meal Planning

Meal planning is the best defense for a healthy balanced diet. Careful planning of each meal and snack can make following an appropriate diet much easier in your day to day life.

After planning out your meals and snacks, make a grocery list based on your meal plan and when shopping, only get the items on your list. This will help you stay true to your meal plan and avoid cheating.

Foods to Avoid

Especially for kidney disease with hypertension, there are foods that your doctor might tell you to avoid.

Watch Sodium Intake

Sodium is the most common and most important thing to monitor in your diet for kidney disease with hypertension. This is because sodium has a big effect on both your kidneys and your blood pressure levels.

Sodium intake greatly affects your kidneys, especially because sodium encourages fluid retention. When your kidneys are not functioning as they should, monitoring fluids is very important. It is one of the main functions of the kidneys to filter and remove excess fluid. Fluid retention makes this process even more difficult.

Fluid retention caused by sodium also is responsible for elevated blood pressure. This is because fluid retention puts excess strain on your entire body, including the arteries that your heart is pumping blood through.

With careful planning and help from your physician, living with kidney disease and hypertension does not have to be a jail sentence. You can still live a happy, healthy life and do most of the things that you love.

Following these tips, and your doctor’s plan, you can ensure a much healthier way of living with kidney disease and hypertension.

For more information on kidney disease click here.

Also published on Medium.