Proteinuria is a term that describes the presence of abnormal levels of protein in the urine. High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a medical condition that increases the risk of stroke, heart attack, and other cardiac events. Hypertension and proteinuria are related because proteinuria can be a sign of hypertension.
Healthy urine generally contains only trace amounts of protein, because the kidneys filter waste, including protein, out of the blood as it circulates through the organs. The waste that is filtered by the kidneys is excreted in urine, but proteins are too large to pass through the filtration units of the organs, and do not get excreted. If the kidneys become damaged, however, proteins can pass into the urine. The most common protein found in urine is albumin, a blood protein that helps regulate the body’s fluid levels.
Kidney damage that leads to proteinuria is most often caused by inflammation due to infection, kidney disease, hypertension, and diabetes. Most people with mild hypertension and proteinuria do not have any symptoms, as symptoms are not readily apparent unless somewhat large amounts of protein are present in the urine. Consequently, people with hypertension and proteinuria are at risk of kidney damage that cannot be repaired.
When signs of proteinuria do appear, the most common is the appearance of the urine; when large amounts of protein are present in urine, it appears foamy. Another common sign of proteinuria is swelling of the feet, hands, abdomen, or face. This swelling develops due to the loss of fluid-regulating albumin from the blood.
The relationship between hypertension and proteinuria, and the effect that high blood pressure has on the kidneys, makes it even more important that the disease is diagnosed early. Someone with known high blood pressure might, therefore, undergo a urine test to determine whether abnormal levels of protein are present in his or her urine. If proteinuria is detected the person might then undergo additional tests to determine the extent of kidney damage.
When a person is diagnosed with hypertension and proteinuria, the primary goal of treatment is to control the high blood pressure. This will help reduce the risk of further kidney damage as well as the risk of heart attack and other serious complications. The most common medications prescribed are angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), because these drugs can help protect the kidneys from further damage.
