Normal blood pressure (BP) targets for individuals with chronic kidney disease (CKD) differ from those without CKD and depend on the level of albuminuria (protein in the urine).
The Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) guideline provides the following recommendations:
- For CKD patients with a urine albumin excretion rate <30 mg/24 h, the recommended BP target is ≤ 140/90 mmHg.
- For CKD patients with moderately or severely increased albuminuria, the recommended BP target is ≤ 130/80 mmHg.
It's crucial to understand that these are target blood pressures, and individual treatment plans should be tailored based on patient-specific factors under the guidance of a healthcare professional. Factors influencing the ideal blood pressure for a CKD patient can include the stage of kidney disease, presence of other health conditions, and individual patient responses to treatment.
While a "normal" adult BP is often cited as around 120/80 mmHg, this is not necessarily the target for someone with CKD, especially if they have elevated albuminuria. Achieving and maintaining the appropriate target blood pressure helps to slow the progression of kidney disease and prevent cardiovascular complications. Lowering blood pressure too aggressively can sometimes have unintended negative consequences.
Lower blood pressures, even below standard "normal" ranges, have been shown to be associated with kidney disease in some studies, emphasizing the need for individualized management plans based on the specific characteristics of the patient and their disease.
