Seek info on renovascular hypertension

[jaykay777]

I was just diagnosed with "Renovascular hypertension (or "renal hypertension") a condition in which high blood pressure is caused by the kidneys' hormonal response to narrowing of the arteries supplying the kidneys. When functioning properly this hormonal axis regulates blood pressure. Would like to learn more about it from anyone who has it.

[Celtic]

jaykay, I'm sorry I know hardly anything about renal hypertension, or even whether I might have it!! The only thing I do know is that generally Ace Inhibitors for the treatment of high blood pressure are to be avoided in the case of narrowing of the arteries to the kidneys. Hopefully, someone else will be along with good advice from their personal experience. Good luck meanwhile.

[jaykay777 in reply to Celtic]

Celtic Thank you for what I consider an important piece of information. As far as I know, none of the blood pressure medicines I take are Ace inhibitors, but I will check that out. I never heard of narrowing of the arteries to the kidneys until now. I never knew anything about kidneys until now except that as a child I had pyelonephritis, and as I mentioned, my mother's immediate cause of death was "hardening of the kidneys." Because my mother's mother had kidney stones, I assume there is some genetic component to kidney disease. One of my granddaughters has had some urinary problems. I will tell my son to write down my family history in relation to kidney disease in case it is relevant to his three daughters.

[Celtic in reply to jaykay777]

jaykay, the following extract taken from the National Kidney Federation website may help:

"Are there any drugs to avoid?

The are two types of drug that may cause particular complications in renal artery stenosis and should be avoided if possible.

The first is a class of drug commonly used to treat high blood pressure or heart failure. These are called ACE inhibitors and have names ending in -opril. Examples are captopril (also called 'Captopen'), lisinopril (also called 'Zestril'), ramipril, fosinopril. These are to be avoided because they can cause kidney failure in renal artery stenosis. Occasionally your doctor will advise that is safe to stay on these drugs.

Anti-inflammatory drugs for arthritis should be used with caution because they can cause fluid retention and reduction in kidney function. There are many types of these, common ones are 'Brufen' and 'Voltarol'. 'Nurofen', available over the counter at your chemist, is also one of this type of drug. They should not be used without discussing the risks and benefits with your doctor."

I don't know about any genetic predisposition to kidney disease. Certainly my maternal gran and my Mum weren't affected. All I know about mine was being told when my right one was removed at the age of 12 after years of UTIs that it had been "paralysed since birth". Interestingly though a cousin's daughter was discovered to have just one horseshoe shaped kidney in the middle of her body when being investigated for something else (same female line). Think I was just born plain awkward - well I was born with blonde streaks across my hair and one set of blonde eyelashes and the other set dark! Odd or what? Don't answer that! Good luck jaykay.

[jaykay777 in reply to Celtic]

Celtic- Thanks for the new info. It is valuable because my cardiologist has had me taking Lisinopril for six years. I am going to ask her whether I should discontinue it. Are Ramipril and fosinopril alternate names for Lisinopril or something different? I will forward your information to mu older son, who works in the field of biology.

I assume from your calling yourself Celtic, your spelling and use of "Mum" and chemist that you live in UK. I love Celtic music. I always wonder why people in the U.S. decided to change the British solicitor to lawyer, chemist to druggist and the boot of a car to the trunk.

[Celtic in reply to jaykay777]

No Ramipril etc are not alternate names for Lisinopril. They are all classed as Ace Inhibitors but are different medicines and can all work slightly differently. I remember one consultant suggesting I had a scan before taking Ramipril in case my arteries to the kidney were narrowed in which case they would be prohibited. Never got that scan - now there's a surprise! Tried Ramipril (twice to appease the consultant) but felt instant nausea and head pain which was too reminiscent of the symptoms of an auto immune condition which had recently gone into remission, so I came off that fast. Who knows, perhaps they didn't suit due to a problem with the renal arteries!!!

Yes, I'm in the UK, and was born in South Wales, hence Celtic. So nice that you like the music - I've learnt something from you as I didn't know the Americans called the boot of a car the trunk! Here a trunk used to be the title given to a very large piece of luggage.

[jaykay777 in reply to Celtic]

Americans must like the word trunk. It was used here to mean a large piece of luggage, but I haven't seen one for many years. The human torso used to be called the trunk of the body, but I haven't heard that for a while either. The elephant and the tree also have trunks, and a railway line that branches out from the main line is called a trunk line here.

[saifomar]

My kidneys got damaged due to untreated high blood pressure for a number of years, that in turn made my hypertension worse to the point where my readings were 220 / 130 at one point and I ended up in the ER. Renovascular Hypertension happens when your kidneys are damaged - and since kidneys help in regulation of blood pressure along with your heart - so at that point a blood pressure medication which also aids in kidney healing is required. Lisinopril is an ACE inhibitor which does exactly that and I have been prescribed a (10mg) dose daily ever since my last visit to the ER which has a been a little more over a year now. You need to talk to a nephrologist and ask him/her about Lisinopril.

[jaykay777 in reply to saifomar]

Thank you, saifomar. My regular appointment with my nephrologist is a week from today, so I will definitely ask her about Lisinopril and request that she contact my cardiologist so they can coordinate my care. The have communicated with each other about me before.