Posted on 11/24/2024 7:30:39 AM PST by ConservativeMind
Commonly prescribed drugs used to treat high blood pressure have been shown to, over time, wreck the kidneys' ability to filter and purify blood, but exactly how that dangerous side effect unfolded has been a riddle. Researchers say they've solved the mystery.
Researchers found that the drugs essentially rewire the kidneys to do something other than the important work of filtering blood. The kidneys start producing more of a hormone called renin; nerve endings grow excessively; cells lining the kidneys' tiny blood vessels get too large; scars form and spread; and inflammation sets in, which "can take a terrible toll on the kidney," according to a news release.
The result is a "silent but serious" vascular disease where the kidneys become zombie-like, changing into something unwanted and unwelcome while abandoning their critical duties.
Now that they know the cause, researchers say the next step is to figure out how to use the effective blood pressure drugs known as renin-angiotensin system inhibitors—often called RAS inhibitors—while stopping the kidney-damaging effects.
RAS inhibitors, which include the generics enalapril, lisinopril, ramipril and others, are commonly prescribed when a patient is first diagnosed with high blood pressure, a condition that affects 120 million people in the U.S., or nearly half of the adult population, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. High blood pressure can cause heart attacks, strokes and other vascular diseases.
The drugs work by relaxing blood vessels and allowing blood to flow more freely. The medicines are widely used and generally considered safe, researchers say, but are not without risk. Doctors have long warned patients that certain blood pressure medications could cause kidney damage, often first noticed as a reduction in the frequency of urination, swelling in the legs or feet, or seizures.
(Excerpt) Read more at medicalxpress.com ...
The title of this research paper is ominous sounding: “Transformation of the Kidney into a Pathological Neuro-Immune-Endocrine Organ.”
To be fair, the high blood pressure hurts all organs in your body, so reducing blood pressure is likely more important, but there are other approaches to do that, including diet and exercise. Soluble fiber, green tea, resveratrol, quercetin, curcumin, among other foods, are able to positively affect blood pressure.
Other drugs have their own issues, but would not likely have this same action on the kidneys.
Additionally, there are supplements that can help reverse arterial plaque, including Vitamin K2-MK4 and K1, from one amazing study.
Growing older can be tough.
ACE inhibitors are the one thing that cannot take because I end up with coughing fits.
> RAS inhibitors, which include the generics enalapril, lisinopril, ramipril and others… <
And others? Oh come on, University of Virginia. If you’re going to make an alarming statement (which well might be true), why not take a moment and give us a complete list?
I’m beginning to think there aren’t ANY drugs that aren’t bad for you.....
Sigh.
NOTHING does more damage to kidneys than uncontrolled hypertension(high blood pressure).
Please Freepers continue with your blood pressure medication and talk to your physician before you change anything.
Long-term use of blood pressure drugs may cause kidney damage, study suggests
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2022-01-long-term-blood-pressure-drugs-kidney.html
I posted it as a thread, here:
For many years I’ve taken Valsartan (an ARB) and Amlodipine (a calcium channel blocker) to control my high blood pressure.
I’d like to instead try rilmenidine (currently used in parts of Europe to treat hypertension, but shown experimentally in animals at young and older ages to increase lifespan and improves health markers, mimicking the effects of caloric restriction). Unfortunately not approved for use in the US.
Many thanks for your analysis, and alternative treatment substitutes , and alternative vitamins,
Very much appreciated as one is getting older, while remaining healthy, seems to be a challenge, now a days.
And Growing older can be can be a challenge."and a bi*ch" !(Emphasis Mine)
What IS “high blood pressure”? Used to be systolic over 150. Then 140. Now they want people of every age to be at 120. Or lower. And will prescribe drugs to get them there.
The US “trial” that lowered the number to 120 was so biased that it could only be by design. The better quality trials seem to indicate no need for medicine if systolic is under 150-160. Europe still uses 140 as the start of high blood pressure.
We take too many drugs.
Another factor: Many elderly patients end up with multiple prescriptions for blood pressure. My wife did home health care and frequently - several times a week - found a patient with 2-4 prescriptions, from different doctors, for the same blood pressure medicine. She would get it corrected but wondered how many falls took place due to artificially LOW blood pressure.
Sometimes, the lesser of the evils is as good as we can do.
I can say diet alone can greatly help, as a relative recently found out. He's had very high blood pressure and high blood glucose for years. Medicines can't properly handle his conditions.
However, we found out his blood sugar and blood pressure has been down a a couple months, basically due to finally banning bread, desserts, and other simpler sugars, from his diet. The guy can finally think again and move around—even drive again.
I, and others, kept telling him it was only on him to do. Being in the hospital multiple times still didn't help bring it home. The head of surgery even dropped by his home one evening to say, “I'll be [danged] if you don't get better,” doing the right things.
It finally clicked. He still has multiple meds, but his glucose is below 99 and blood pressure is in the normal range.
My doctor prescribed statins and another drug that ‘flushed’ the kidneys to prevent this side-effect. Didn’t tell me that it took cholesterol levels way down, causing brain fog. Not worth it at my age to gain maybe a day or two of life after 7 decades of living.
P4L
EVERY medication has side effects (some harmful, some just irritating).
The key is finding the right risk/reward ratio, and discontinuing meds when that ratio changes.
What makes sense when you’re 40 usually doesn’t at 70. I hate to see the elderly on statins, or multi drug therapyfor hypertension. Add anti dementia meds in end stage dementia where they do more harm than good.
People take on faith what they should be suspicious of. Follow the money.
In most cases, RAS inhibitors do not damage the kidneys. Instead, they are protective when used appropriately. However, they can pose risks if certain conditions arise:•Severe volume depletion (e.g., from dehydration or diuretics).
•Bilateral renal artery stenosis (narrowing of both renal arteries).
•Advanced kidney disease with very low GFR.
I have absolutely no faith in physicians who graduated from medical school going back to 1995. Do your own research where you will find out more than the physicians know. Doctors are clueless about the medications they prescribe and get kickbacks from Big Pharma.
Any medical professional that was and is pimping the Covid bioweapon jabs and boosters is suspect and should be charged with crimes against humanity. The Medical Industrial Complex is going down; count on it. The good physicians bailed out when Zero’s DeathCare was instituted.
https://www.peoplespharmacy.com/
https://www.drugs.com/interaction/list/?drug_list=1615-16311,1476-0
https://www.google.com/search?q=RAS+inhibitors+kidney+damage
[bottom line: RAS inhibitors are generally protective of kidney function in the face of hypertension, EXCEPT for folks who already have advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD)]:
“While generally considered protective for kidneys in most patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), in certain situations, particularly with advanced CKD, Renin-Angiotensin System (RAS) inhibitors can potentially worsen kidney function and increase the risk of kidney damage due to potential side effects like hyperkalemia and a sudden decline in renal function, requiring close monitoring when used in such cases; however, for most patients with mild to moderate CKD, RAS inhibitors are considered beneficial for slowing kidney disease progression.
Key points about RAS inhibitors and kidney damage:
Protective effect in most cases:
In individuals with mild to moderate CKD, RAS inhibitors like ACE inhibitors and ARBs are often prescribed to help slow the decline in kidney function by lowering blood pressure and reducing proteinuria (excess protein in urine).
Risks in advanced CKD:
When kidney function is significantly impaired (advanced CKD), using RAS inhibitors can increase the risk of complications like hyperkalemia (high potassium levels) and a sudden drop in kidney function, which is why careful monitoring is crucial.
Considerations for use:
Severity of kidney disease: Doctors often need to adjust dosage or discontinue RAS inhibitors in patients with very advanced CKD.
Monitoring: Regular monitoring of blood potassium levels and kidney function is essential when using RAS inhibitors in patients with CKD.
Mechanism of potential kidney damage:
While the exact mechanism is complex, some research suggests that in advanced CKD, RAS inhibition can disrupt the delicate balance of renal blood flow, potentially leading to further kidney damage in certain individuals.
Kidney Damage Caused by Blood Pressure Drugs Explained
6 days ago — Long-term management of the condition with renin–angiotensin system inhibitors can cause kidney damage for some patients...”
The mechanisms and demonstrable changes appear to be identified, now, and they don't look great. Nonetheless, it could be a welcome set of concerns over what high blood pressure can do.
P
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