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Hypertensive nephropathy (HN)

Hypertensive nephropathy; "the terms hypertensive nephrosclerosis, benign nephrosclerosis, and nephroangiosclerosis are commonly used to describe the same clinical condition." HN can be divided into two types: benign and malignant. Benign nephrosclerosis is common in individuals over the age of 60 where malignant nephrosclerosis is uncommon and affects 1-5% of individuals with high blood pressure, that have diastolic blood pressure passing 130mm Hg.

Hypertensive refers to high blood pressure and nephropathy means damage to the kidney; hence this condition is where chronic high blood pressure causes damages to renal tissue; this includes the small blood vessels, glomeruli, renal tubules and interstitial tissues. The tissue hardens and thickens which is know as nephrosclerosis. The narrowing of the blood vessels means less blood is going to the tissue and so less oxygen is reaching the tissue resulting in tissue death (ischemia).

Risk factors for HN include:
 * poorly controlled moderate to high blood pressure
 * older age
 * other kidney disorders
 * Afro Caribbean background - unclear whether this is due to them being more genetically susceptible to kidney damage by hypertension or whether it is because of poor management of high blood pressure amongst them.