High blood pressure can damage blood vessels in the kidneys, reducing their ability to work properly. When the force of blood flow is high, blood vessels stretch so blood flows more easily. Eventually, this stretching scars and weakens blood vessels throughout the body, including those in the kidneys.
If the kidneys’ blood vessels are damaged, they may stop removing wastes and extra fluid from the body. Extra fluid in the blood vessels may then raise blood pressure even more, creating a dangerous cycle.
High blood pressure is the second leading cause of kidney failure in the United States after diabetes, as illustrated in Figure 1.2 In addition, the rate of kidney failure due to high blood pressure increased 7.7 percent from 2000 to 2010.3