Chronic kidney disease is one of the worlds major public health problems, and the prevalence of kidney failure is rising steadily. Among the risk factors for a faster progression of renal disease are hypertension and proteinuria, many studies clearly demonstrating that hypertension is both a cause and consequence of chronic kidney disease. Namely, renal blood pressure regulation seems to be involved in five major pathophysiological mechanisms (all closely related to the renin-angiotensin system): Pressure-natriuresis, renal sympathetic nervous system, renal blood flow, intraglomerular pressure and tubuloglomerular feedback. This book reviews experimental data which form the basis of our current understanding of the association between hypertension and kidney diseases: The pathogenesis of increased blood pressure, the mechanisms by which systemic hypertension promotes progressive kidney failure, and the impact of antihypertensive agents on experimental renal mechanisms involved in hypertension. Furthermore, the role of angiotensin II receptor blockers in both the control of systemic blood pressure and the reduction of proteinuria is examined in an attempt to define optimal therapeutic strategies to prevent the otherwise inexorable deterioration of renal function in patients with chronic kidney disease.
Preface: Suzuki, H.; Saruta, T.; An Overview of Blood Pressure
Regulation Associated with the Kidney: Suzuki, H.; Saruta, T.; Salt, Blood
Pressure, and Kidney: Fujita, T.; Ando, K.; Involvement of Renal Sympathetic
Nerve in Pathogenesis of Hypertension: Kumagai, H.; Onami, T.; Iigaya, K.;
Takimoto, C.; Imai, M.; Matsuura, T.; Sakata, K.; Oshima, N.; Hayashi, K.;
Saruta, T.; Blood Pressure Regulation and Renal Microcirculation: Takenaka,
T.; Hayashi, K.; Ikenaga, H.; Role of Renal Eicosanoids in the Control of
Intraglomerular and Systemic Blood Pressure during Development of
Hypertension: Arima, S.; Ito, S.; Novel Aspects of the Renal
Renin-Angiotensin System: Angiotensin-(1-7), ACE2 and Blood Pressure
Regulation: Chappell, M.C.; Modrall, J.G.; Diz, D.I.; Ferrario, C.M.; Role of
Aldosterone Blockade in the Management of Hypertension and Cardiovascular
Disease: Epstein, M.; Clinical Implications of Blockade of the
Renin-Angiotensin System in Management of Hypertension: Chua, D.Y.; Bakris,
G.L.; Renal Renin-Angiotensin System: Ichihara, A.; Kobori, H.; Nishiyama,
A.; Navar, L.G.; Kidney and Blood Pressure Regulation: Kalil, R.S.;
Hunsicker, L.G.; Clinical Strategy for the Treatment of Hypertension in
Non-Diabetic and Diabetic Nephropathy in Japan: Kanno, Y.; Okada, H.;
Nakamoto, H.; Suzuki, H.; Angiotensin Type 1 Receptor Blockers in Chronic
Kidney Disease: Suzuki, H.
