what medications can damage your kidneys?
Long-term usage of ACE inhibitors and other routinely
prescribed medicines for high blood pressure and heart failure may be leading
to kidney damage, according to new kidney research.
Long-term usage of medicines widely recommended to treat
high blood pressure and heart failure may be contributing to kidney damage,
according to new kidney research from the University Of Virginia School Of
Medicine.
The medications, including the well-known and frequently
used ACE inhibitors, should be continued, according to the researchers.
However, scientists are advocating more research into the medications'
long-term impacts.
"The harm is caused by renin-producing cells, according
to our findings. We're now trying to figure out how these cells, which are so
vital for protecting us from blood pressure decreases and maintaining our
health, go through such a change and cause kidney damage."
Maria Luisa Sequeira Lopez, MD, of the University of
Virginia's Department of Pediatrics and Child Health Research Center, agreed.
"What we need to do now is figure out what molecules these cells produce
that cause uncontrolled vascular formation."
Kidney
Damage: What Causes It?
A billion people worldwide suffer from chronic high blood
pressure. The UVA researchers wanted to know why severe forms of the disease
are frequently accompanied by thickening of the arteries and small blood veins
in the kidney, which can lead to organ damage.
Renin cells, which are specialized kidney cells, were
discovered to perform a vital function. Renin, a key hormone that helps the
body control blood pressure, is routinely produced by these cells. However,
detrimental modifications in the renin cells might cause the cells to penetrate
the blood vessel walls of the kidney. Renin cells then produce a buildup of another
cell type, smooth muscle cells, which thicken and stiffen the arteries. As a
result, blood cannot flow as freely as it should through the kidney.
Long-term use of medications that inhibit the
renin-angiotensin system, such as ACE inhibitors or angiotensin receptor
blockers, has a comparable effect, according to the study. These medications
are commonly used to treat excessive blood pressure, congestive heart failure,
and heart attacks, as well as to prevent serious heart issues. Long-term use of
the medications, however, was linked to hardened kidney arteries in both lab
mice and humans, according to the researchers.
The researchers emphasize the necessity of continuing to
take the drugs because they can save patients' lives. They do, however, believe
that further research is needed to better understand the medications' long-term
effects on the kidneys.
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