Diabetes, kidney disease, and high blood pressure are a triple threat to many American’s who may be unaware. For those diagnosed with one of these health problems, it is crucial to understand the association between all three to reduce their risk of developing a second one of these conditions.
This interplay of conditions usually begins with diabetes, which can affect small blood vessels. This can then result in hypertension, and that can result in kidney disease. “It is essentially a vicious circle,” says Dr. Vivek Bhalla, past chair of the American Heart Association’s Kidney in Cardiovascular Disease Council.
