Study Shows Sharp Increase In Kidney Disease Deaths Linked To High Blood Pressure

The decease complaint from hypertensive kidney illness (high humor pressure-related kidney disease) accrued by 48% successful nan U.S. complete nan past 25 years, pinch continued differences crossed demographic groups, according to preliminary investigation presented astatine nan American Heart Association's Hypertension Scientific Sessions 2025. The gathering is successful Baltimore, September 4-7, 2025, and is nan premier technological speech focused connected caller advances successful basal and objective investigation connected precocious humor unit and its narration to cardiac and kidney disease, stroke, obesity and genetics.

This is nan first study to analyse 25 years of nationalist information connected hypertensive kidney illness deaths crossed each U.S. states and awesome demographic groups. Despite nationalist efforts to trim wellness inequalities, Black individuals still had complete 3 times nan decease complaint compared to different groups of people."

Joiven Nyongbella, M.D., an M.P.H. campaigner and soul medicine resident astatine Wayne State University/Henry Ford Rochester Hospital successful Detroit

High humor unit (when nan unit of nan humor pushing against nan walls of vessels is excessively high) is simply a known consequence facet for kidney damage. It is nan 2nd starring origin of end-stage kidney illness and contributes importantly to morbidity and mortality. Untreated precocious humor unit tin lead to superior outcomes, specified arsenic bosom attack, stroke, bosom nonaccomplishment and progression to kidney failure. Globally, nan complaint of decease from chronic kidney illness accrued 24% from 1990 to 2021, according to the American Heart Association's 2025 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics.

This study, looking astatine information from 1999 – 2023, recovered age-adjusted mortality complaint (AAMR) for hypertensive kidney illness deaths accrued 48%. Men, group surviving successful nan South and Black aliases Hispanic adults had higher than mean decease rates.

"High humor unit isn't conscionable astir strokes aliases bosom attacks - it's besides a awesome origin of kidney illness and death, particularly successful Black and Hispanic communities," said Nyongbella. "The connection is simple: cheque your humor pressure, dainty it early and don't disregard it, because it tin softly lead to life-threatening kidney problems."

In this study, researchers reviewed information from nan U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) WONDER database from 1999 to 2023 for each decease certificates noted pinch hypertensive renal illness arsenic nan origin of death. The study found:

• Kidney illness caused by precocious humor unit resulted successful 274,667 deaths from 1999-2023 among individuals ages 15 and older.
• From 1999-2023, nan age-adjusted mortality complaint (AAMR) for hypertensive kidney illness deaths roseate from 3.3 per 100,000 group successful 1999 to 4.91 per 100,000 group successful 2023, an summation of 48%.
• Men had a higher mean AAMR than women (4.48 vs. 3.69, respectively), pinch a 22% higher mortality successful individuals pinch renal failure.
• The highest mean AAMR was for individuals who were identified arsenic Black, astatine 10.37 per 100,000 group versus nan scope of 3.33 - 3.90 per 100,000 for group successful different organization groups. Hispanic individuals had a 15% higher AAMR erstwhile compared to non-Hispanic individuals (4.55 vs. 3.97, respectively).
• Across nan U.S., nan West had nan highest wide AAMR for hypertensive kidney illness deaths astatine 4.59 per 100,000. In nan South, Washington, D.C., (7.6 per 100,000), Tennessee (5.9) and Mississippi (5.83) had nan highest AAMRs.

"This study provides important observational information indicating a concerning emergence (48%) successful age-adjusted deaths owed to precocious humor pressure-related kidney illness complete nan past 25 years, particularly among men, and Black and Hispanic individuals," said American Heart Association unpaid master Sidney C. Smith Jr., M.D., FAHA. "These findings are successful statement pinch nan precocious released 2025 AHA/ACC High Blood Pressure Guideline and AHA's Presidential Advisory connected Cardiovascular Kidney Metabolic (CKM) Health. Both papers stress nan value of early curen for precocious humor pressure, its nonstop nexus to kidney disease, arsenic good arsenic nan effect of societal factors among high-risk populations." Smith is simply a cardiologist and professor of medicine astatine nan University of North Carolina's School of Medicine, a past president of nan American Heart Association and a co-author of nan 2025 AHA/ACC High Blood Pressure Guideline; he was not progressive successful this study.

There are respective limitations to nan study's findings. Of note, nan study relied solely connected decease certificate data, which whitethorn see errors owed to missing aliases mislabeled causes of death. In addition, individual wellness factors for illustration entree to care, medicine usage aliases fare were not available, truthful early investigation is needed to analyse these factors successful summation to wellness data.

Study details, inheritance and design:  

• Data from nan CDC WONDER database was reviewed for each decease certificates successful nan U.S. from 1999 to 2023 pinch immoderate of nan ICD-10 codes for hypertensive renal illness pinch and without renal nonaccomplishment listed arsenic a origin of death.
• The study included demographic accusation astir group who had died pinch and without hypertensive renal disease, ages 15 to 85 and older; 54.9% were women, 23.5% were Black, 8.47% were Hispanic and 68% were from different group and taste groups.
• Age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMRs) per 100,000 were calculated and stratified by year, sex, race, ethnicity, authorities and region.
• The absurd besides specifications nan further calculations utilized to measure trends including mean yearly percent alteration (AAPC) successful deaths statistical testing.