What is High blood pressure and Kidney disease

HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE AND KIDNEY DISEASE Meaning

High blood pressure (also called Hypertension),  is a condition where the pressure of the blood flow in the arteries is higher than what it should normally be.¹ Over a period of time, this higher pressure of the blood can cause injuries inside the walls of the arteries and lead to a serious heart condition.¹ 

Moreover, having high blood pressure over a long period of time can also damage the blood vessels of the kidneys. This damage results in a reduced ability of the kidneys to perform their functions. This is because a high blood pressure requires the blood vessels inside the kidneys to stretch more than usual. Over a period of time, the tiny blood vessels of the kidneys start showing scars due to stretching, leading to various kidney diseases.²

While there is no direct correlation of hypertension and its outcomes on kidney in Ayurveda, the abnormal functioning of Vyana vayu (a sub type from the five types of Vata) is implicated as the cause of high blood pressure. Additionally, another subtype of vata, the Apana vayu is responsible for elimination of toxins and is based in the Basti (Bladder). Thus, both high blood pressure and kidney diseases have a correlation as per the concept of Ayurvedic physiology of the Vata niyaman (Balance of Vata) in the body. ^3,4