CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va – Researchers at the UVA School of Medicine are researching how certain blood pressure medications can damage the kidneys.
Drugs known as renin-angiotensin system inhibitors help lower blood pressure by blocking the impacts of renin, an enzyme produced by the kidneys. Over 1.3 billion people worldwide have hypertension.
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UVA’s studies in animals show long-term use of these medications can cause the kidney to scar and build up excess renin, which impacts its ability to properly filter blood.
“Unfortunately early on, it’s a silent disease, you cannot detect it until it’s a bit too late, said Dr R. Ariel Gomez, Of UVA’s Child Health Research Center. “So, this is the problem with kidney disease”
Researchers hope these findings about how hypertension and medications impact the kidney will lead to new treatments for high blood pressure, as well as better ways to detect the early stages of kidney disease
RAS inhibitors remain safe to take.
