Blood Pressure and KC

Bubbs21

As you know my RCC was discovered as a result of investigating BP variances over the last 6-7 months. I met with my cardiologist today, who continues to monitor my BP and cardiac performance. He is confident that my BP will be better regulated and even return to normal once the tumour is removed. Good news is my Heart rate monitor, EKG's etc all showed normal and in his words 'perfectlly' functioning heart and circulatory system.

YEAH! It's great to get some good news. I was wondering if others have had similar symptoms of BP issues with tumours that have been resolved with the removal of a Kidney Tumour? Or have seen case studies or research linking the two?

Thanks Bubbs.

Texas_wedge

BP, KC and CKD
That's excellent news! Removing any interference in kidney function is important. The role of kidneys in regulating BP has been well-established for a long time and the relationship is a 2-way street. iceman makes a point of advising newbies on the topic of CKD and the need to keep an eye on renal function and BP for minimising risks of cardiovascular events etc.

There is even a Journal entitled "Kidney & Blood Pressure Research" and a study in the current issue, carried out in a number of the leading Turkish unis summarises:

"Conclusion: As a conclusion, hypertension is highly prevalent in subjects with CKD in Turkey with suboptimal awareness, treatment, and control rates. Appropriate health strategies should be implicated to improve prevention, early diagnosis, and treatment of hypertension, which is one of the leading causes of CKD."

{Someone's slip-up in translating - obviously meant 'implemented' not "implicated"!]

I found this summary quite helpful:

"The endogenous regulation of arterial pressure is not completely understood. Currently, three mechanisms of regulating arterial pressure have been well-characterized:
* Baroreceptor reflex: Baroreceptors detect changes in arterial pressure and send signals ultimately to the medulla of the brain stem, RVLM to be precise. The medulla, by way of the autonomic nervous system, adjusts the mean arterial pressure by altering both the force and speed of the heart's contractions, as well as the total peripheral resistance. The most important arterial baroreceptors are located in the left and right carotid sinuses and in the aortic arch.[38]
* Renin-angiotensin system (RAS): This system is generally known for its long-term adjustment of arterial pressure. This system allows the kidney to compensate for loss in blood volume or drops in arterial pressure by activating an endogenous vasoconstrictor known as angiotensin II.
* Aldosterone release: This steroid hormone is released from the adrenal cortex in response to angiotensin II or high serum potassium levels. Aldosterone stimulates sodium retention and potassium excretion by the kidneys. Since sodium is the main ion that determines the amount of fluid in the blood vessels by osmosis, aldosterone will increase fluid retention, and indirectly, arterial pressure.
Renal artery stenosis is a narrowing or blockage of the artery that supplies blood to the kidneys. When the arteries that carry blood to your kidneys become narrow, less blood flows to the kidneys. The kidneys mistakenly respond as if your blood pressure is low and give off hormones that tell the body to hold on to more salt and water. This causes your blood pressure to rise."

A couple of other paragraphs may also be of help, viz:

"Hypertension

The kidneys and associated glands help to regulate blood pressure. When one or both kidneys are removed, blood pressure must be monitored closely and managed proactively as high blood pressure, or hypertension, is a side effect of nephrectomy. The severity depends on the health of the remaining kidney, if there is one, and lifestyle management. Decreasing sodium intake is one important change to make after having a nephrectomy. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) recommends maintaining a blood pressure lower than 130/80 for those people living with one kidney. Failure to control blood pressure can cause damage to the remaining kidney.

Kidney Disease

When one kidney is removed, the remaining kidney compensates and works harder. Even with a partial nephrectomy, compensation takes place as there is less of one kidney to carry out the full workload required by the body. The workload of the remaining kidney can be decreased by reducing protein intake as the kidney is responsible for removing the waste products of protein metabolism. Over time, the increased work can cause damage that can progress to the development of kidney disease. After a nephrectomy, blood work and urine analysis will be routinely performed to monitor the function of the remaining kidney, or kidneys. Increasing levels of protein in the urine may indicate the presence of kidney disease."

icemantoo

Texas_wedge said:

BP, KC and CKD
That's excellent news! Removing any interference in kidney function is important. The role of kidneys in regulating BP has been well-established for a long time and the relationship is a 2-way street. iceman makes a point of advising newbies on the topic of CKD and the need to keep an eye on renal function and BP for minimising risks of cardiovascular events etc.

There is even a Journal entitled "Kidney & Blood Pressure Research" and a study in the current issue, carried out in a number of the leading Turkish unis summarises:

"Conclusion: As a conclusion, hypertension is highly prevalent in subjects with CKD in Turkey with suboptimal awareness, treatment, and control rates. Appropriate health strategies should be implicated to improve prevention, early diagnosis, and treatment of hypertension, which is one of the leading causes of CKD."

{Someone's slip-up in translating - obviously meant 'implemented' not "implicated"!]

I found this summary quite helpful:

"The endogenous regulation of arterial pressure is not completely understood. Currently, three mechanisms of regulating arterial pressure have been well-characterized:
* Baroreceptor reflex: Baroreceptors detect changes in arterial pressure and send signals ultimately to the medulla of the brain stem, RVLM to be precise. The medulla, by way of the autonomic nervous system, adjusts the mean arterial pressure by altering both the force and speed of the heart's contractions, as well as the total peripheral resistance. The most important arterial baroreceptors are located in the left and right carotid sinuses and in the aortic arch.[38]
* Renin-angiotensin system (RAS): This system is generally known for its long-term adjustment of arterial pressure. This system allows the kidney to compensate for loss in blood volume or drops in arterial pressure by activating an endogenous vasoconstrictor known as angiotensin II.
* Aldosterone release: This steroid hormone is released from the adrenal cortex in response to angiotensin II or high serum potassium levels. Aldosterone stimulates sodium retention and potassium excretion by the kidneys. Since sodium is the main ion that determines the amount of fluid in the blood vessels by osmosis, aldosterone will increase fluid retention, and indirectly, arterial pressure.
Renal artery stenosis is a narrowing or blockage of the artery that supplies blood to the kidneys. When the arteries that carry blood to your kidneys become narrow, less blood flows to the kidneys. The kidneys mistakenly respond as if your blood pressure is low and give off hormones that tell the body to hold on to more salt and water. This causes your blood pressure to rise."

A couple of other paragraphs may also be of help, viz:

"Hypertension

The kidneys and associated glands help to regulate blood pressure. When one or both kidneys are removed, blood pressure must be monitored closely and managed proactively as high blood pressure, or hypertension, is a side effect of nephrectomy. The severity depends on the health of the remaining kidney, if there is one, and lifestyle management. Decreasing sodium intake is one important change to make after having a nephrectomy. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) recommends maintaining a blood pressure lower than 130/80 for those people living with one kidney. Failure to control blood pressure can cause damage to the remaining kidney.

Kidney Disease

When one kidney is removed, the remaining kidney compensates and works harder. Even with a partial nephrectomy, compensation takes place as there is less of one kidney to carry out the full workload required by the body. The workload of the remaining kidney can be decreased by reducing protein intake as the kidney is responsible for removing the waste products of protein metabolism. Over time, the increased work can cause damage that can progress to the development of kidney disease. After a nephrectomy, blood work and urine analysis will be routinely performed to monitor the function of the remaining kidney, or kidneys. Increasing levels of protein in the urine may indicate the presence of kidney disease."

Blood Pressure
Bubba,

There are at least 3 thimgs that contribute to CKD. Age, poor renal function and/or loss of a kidney and High BP. The first 2 we can do nothing about, the last one we can. While we all know that CKD can eventually lead to renal faikure, it much more often can lead to a heart incident. This is not covered by scans etc, looking for recurrance tf RCC. The moral of the storey is that besides follow up on the RCC keep the kidney that is left working as well as possible. This is something that may take years and years before it poses a problem, but beware of it.

Icemantoo.