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Benign Hypertensive Arteriolar Nephrosclerosis

By

The Manual's Editorial Staff

Reviewed/Revised Oct 2023
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Topic Resources
The Kidneys
VIDEO

Your kidneys are 2 bean-shaped organs that make urine (pee), balance your body’s water and mineral levels, and filter waste out of your blood.

The Urinary Tract

The Urinary Tract

What is benign hypertensive arteriolar nephrosclerosis?

What causes hypertensive kidney damage?

Having high blood pressure for a long time puts stress on your blood vessels. Eventually, the stress damages the blood vessels so blood doesn't flow through them well. If blood flow to an organ is poor, the organ can be damaged.

Your risk of kidney damage from high blood pressure is higher if:

  • Your blood pressure isn't controlled very well

  • You've had high blood pressure for a long time

What are the symptoms of hypertensive kidney damage?

You usually don't have any symptoms unless you get kidney failure. Symptoms of kidney failure include:

  • Feeling weak and tired

  • Feeling sick to your stomach

  • Being less hungry than usual

  • Itching

  • Feeling sleepy or confused

How can doctors tell if I have hypertensive kidney damage?

Doctors suspect kidney disease if you've had high blood pressure for a long time and routine blood tests show your kidneys aren't working normally. To check for other causes of kidney disease, they may do:

  • Blood and urine tests

  • Ultrasound of your kidneys

How do doctors treat hypertensive kidney damage?

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