Low blood pressure in patients with kidney disease may increase risk of death

The common treatment of patients suffering from high blood pressure or hypertension is lowering their pressure to a normal level. However, the latest researches show that lowering high blood pressure in patients suffering from kidney disease may increase the risk of death. This was established in a study including 600,000 patients suffering from kidney disease.

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Csaba Kovesdy, MD from the Memphis Veterans Affairs Medical Center supported this thesis by examining more than 18 million blood pressure readings which showed that mortality rates were higher in patients with either very low or very high blood pressures. Researches showed that the best blood pressure levels range between 130 and 159 mm HG for the systolic blood pressure and between 70 and 89 mm HG for the diastolic pressure and these readings ensured the best health outcomes in male patients suffering from kidney problems. It should be mentioned that this study applied only to a wide group of veterans suffering from kidney disease and not to the general U.S. population. It has been established that more than 20 million people in the U.S. alone suffer from kidney disease. These medical issues usually affect people older than 65 years of age.

There is another very important aspect that needs to be taken into consideration when talking about normal blood pressure. According to Dr. William Abraham, cardiologist, there is no an absolute number as to what is considered to be a low blood pressure and lower pressure is usually associated with longevity and healthier life. However, in some patients, low blood pressure readings can indicate to an underlying health issue. In healthy persons, blood pressures under 90/60 may require check-up in order to establish what causes it. Dr. Abraham also suggested that now there is a more precise definition about what is considered to be optimal blood pressure for hypertension patients. Namely, there is a so-called j-shaped curve for patients using blood pressure drugs and the worst health incomes are related to blood pressure readings which are either too low or too high. The ideal reading would be 110-115/70-75.

Researchers also tackled another interesting area: what is normal pressure. They actually say that normal blood pressure readings vary from person to person and there is no exact number that should be reached. This means that what is considered to be low blood pressure for one person may be perfectly normal for another.

What are the most common symptoms of very low blood pressure? Well, these usually include fainting, lightheadedness, dizziness, blurry vision and fatigue. Sudden change in blood pressure may be a sign of an underlying health problem and should be checked. However, many people actually have low blood pressure without ever noticing any symptom and in such case there is definitely no place for worries.photo credit: