Heart Failure In Chronic Kidney Disease

If you have kidney disease, the likelihood of getting heart disease increases many times. Heart disease is the most common cause of kidney disease and those who have heart-related problems are also at the risk of kidney disease. Kidney disease and heart disease go hands in hands and learning about them can help you to stay healthy. 

What Is Heart Disease?

Heart disease includes conditions that avert the blood flow to the heart. The problem could be in the blood vessels or your heart, and may include:

• Plaque build up in the walls of the blood vessels

• A blood clot that can obstruct the blood flow to the heart

• A sudden heart stroke caused by lack of oxygen to the heart

The plaque in the walls of the blood vessels could be due to fat and cholesterol accumulation in the blood. 

What Is Kidney Disease?

Kidney disease happens when the kidneys become damaged and cannot filter waste. The damage to the kidneys causes fluid to build up in the blood and blood vessels accordingly. In most cases, kidney disease happens slowly over the years and often called chronic kidney disease. People with kidney disease have no early symptoms until their kidneys are badly damaged. And in the late stage of the kidney disease, the fluid build-up in the blood vessels increases the risk of having many complications out of which one is the heart failure. Thus, it is necessary to prevent kidney failure with the help of chronic kidney disease treatment in Ayurveda and avoid the risk of heart failure.

The early signs that may appear in the body include:

• Pain in the chest

• Swelling in the legs

• A blockage of blood vessels in the brain that causes a problem when speaking

How are kidney disease and heart diseases related?

Kidney disease and heart disease share two main causes, and that include:

• High blood pressure

• Diabetes

High blood pressure

Blood pressure is the rate of flow of the blood against the walls of the blood vessels. The vessels of the entire body become weakened especially that of the kidneys and the heart when there is continuous pressure on them. When having high blood pressure, your heart needs to work harder to pump blood and similarly, your kidneys will not be able to filter blood as they are intended to. 

Diabetes

If you have high blood sugar level in the blood even then your blood vessels of the kidneys and the heart become incapable of filtering blood. When the blood vessels of the kidneys become enfeeble they cannot filter blood resulting in the waste build-up in the blood. Many people with diabetes also develop high blood pressure, which can damage the kidneys. Kidney disease because of diabetes is also called diabetic kidney disease that affects your heart in the first place. 

High blood pressure is a cause as well as complication of kidney problems. Similarly, your kidneys also become damage when you at the risk of high blood pressure. When the kidneys cannot sift waste from the blood, the fluid retention can raise the blood pressure; thus creating a never-ending vicious cycle that may even progress to renal failure and heart failure. 

Thus, increases levels of diabetes and high blood pressure for a prolonged time can appear to be a reason for heart failure in chronic kidney disease patients. 

Who Are At The Risk Of Kidney Disease?

You are more likely to have kidney disease, if you have one or more of the following conditions:

• Diabetes

• High blood pressure

• Lupus

• Cardiovascular disease (CVD)

• A family history of kidney failure or kidney problems

• Consuming a diet that has high sodium content

Who are at the risk of heart disease?

People who are at the risk of heart disease include:

• High blood pressure

• High cholesterol level

• Increased blood sugar level

• A family history of heart disease

• On a diet that has more fat and calorie

• Being overweight

• Have too much sodium in the diet

What are the ways to keep your heart and kidneys healthy?

There is always a way to prevent a disease from becoming acute. With a better diet plan and CKD treatment in Ayurveda, you can manage your kidney problems and prevent the risk of heart failure arising due to CKD. 

Similarly, by adopting some healthy measures in your life, you can somehow prevent the likelihood of heart disease and thus the risk of kidney failure. 

Some healthy habits that can help take care of your kidneys and the heart:

• Consult a dietician who can suggest a diet plan to keep the kidneys and heart in an optimum health

• Regulate your blood pressure level and keep it below 140/90.

• It is also necessary to maintain an apt blood sugar level

• Always go for a kidney function test biannually if you are at the risk of CKD

• Try to avoid fat and cholesterol sources of food in your meals

• Be physically active for at least 30 minutes of the day

• Prefer Ayurvedic medications over the allopathic one

• Remember Eating, Diet, and Nutrition is important

• Avoid sodium in your meals as this pressurize your kidneys and heart as well

Consult Karma Ayurveda if you wish to know more about kidney disease and a complete Ayurvedic kidney disease treatment for the same!