The impact of kidney failure on blood pressure

Abstract

The aim of my research is to look at kidney failure and the problems associated with it, in particular high blood pressure (hypertension). The main organ of the excretory system is the kidney. The kidneys are paired organs lying in the posterior abdominal wall on either side of the vertebral column. They are covered in a tough fibrous capsule. The function of the kidneys is maintaining body fluid balance. They do this by filtering blood to produce urine, getting rid of waste material and keeping nutrients in the body. This particular function is carried out by structures called nephrons within the kidney. Each kidney contains approximately 1 million nephrons. Urine is made in the nephron. Blood enters into the nephron through a small artery, the afferent arteriole, and from there into a highly permeable structure called the glomerulus. The glomerulus rests on top of a sieve like structure called Bowman’s ...