Treatments for high blood pressure could cause kidney damage

A search, carried out on both humans and mice, alerted to the long-term risks of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, frequently prescribed to treat high blood pressure. According to this study carried out by researchers from the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Virginia, prolonged intake of these drugs could promote the appearance of kidney damage.

This side effect would occur in the kidney cells that deliver renin, a vital hormone that helps the body regulate blood pressure. However, a modification of these renin cells can lead them to invade the walls of the blood vessels of the kidney and to cause the thickening and the rigidity of the vessels. Consequence: the blood circulation in the kidneys can be disturbed.

Side effects to watch out for

The study also noted that long-term use of drugs that inhibit the renin-angiotensin system, such as angiotensin receptor blockers, can, like ACEs, be associated with hardening of the renal vessels. These drugs are not only prescribed to treat high blood pressure but also to prevent major heart problems.

“Our studies show that renin-producing cells are responsible for the damage. We are now seeking to understand how these cells, which are so important in defending us against voltage drops and maintaining our well-being, undergo such transformation and induce kidney damage.”explained Maria Luisa Sequeira Lopez, researcher in the Department of Pediatrics and Center for Child Health Research at the University of Virginia.

The researchers said the treatments in question could help save patients’ lives and stressed the importance of continuing to follow them. However, they felt that more studies were needed to better identify and prevent the long-term effects of these drugs on kidney health.