Berkeley Fit Blog

2019-03-08 19:01:39

Silent-killer: Is uric acid causative factor for hypertension?

It is well known that untreated hypertension increases the risk of heart disease and stroke, the top causes of death in the US.  This is why elevated blood pressure is the 'silent killer'.  To compound the problem, untreated hypertension also damages the kidneys and increases the risk of dementia and blindness. 

A growing body of clinical evidence support the notion that increased uric acid levels are associated hypertension and a decline in kidney function, independent of age.  

A systematic review of clinical outcomes revealed that a 1 mg/dL (60 umol/L) increase in uric acid is assoociated with an increased risk of hypertension by over 10%.  And the effects of uric acid on hypertension is more pronounced in younger populations and in women.

The thickening of the arteries or atherosclerosis is also correlated with elevated uric acid levels. Therefore, testing for elevated uric acid may have a role in both identifying individuals at risk of developing hypertension and decrease cardiovascular mortality by slowing the progression of atherosclerosis and kidney failure in hypertensives regardless of age and gender.

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