Renin. What it is, not everyone knows. It is one of the most important components involved in the functioning of the human body. Thanks to him, there is a regulation of blood pressure and blood circulation. Some people compare this component to a water tap, which reduces or increases the diameter of the stream. Let's try to understand in more detail what renin is and for what functions it is responsible.
general information
Renin (what it is will be discussed in this article) is excreted in the kidneys. For this, in fact, he got his definition, since in Latin his name is translated as a kidney component. The pericubular apparatus, which is special cells located in the small arteries of the nephron, is responsible for its synthesis. It produces a protein that is converted to renin during chemical and biological processes in the human body. A similar component regulates the flow of blood to the nephrons and the volume of fluid entering this organ.
What affects renin production?
Renin (what it is, we already have an idea) is developed in the following cases:
- when a stressful situation occurs;
- decrease in circulating blood levels;
- decrease in blood flow to the renal ducts;
- low potassium or sodium in the body;
- with hypotension.
Renin promotes the breakdown of proteins produced by the liver, the oligopeptide hormone of the first degree, which is subsequently broken down to the second level, resulting in a reduction in the muscle layer of blood vessels. These changes provoke an increase in blood pressure and increase blood flow to the adrenal glands, stimulating them to work more efficiently.
Thus, the renin-aldosterone system works in our body. However, this is not all. Some other hormones are also responsible for regulating the circulatory system, which will be discussed later.
Renin-angiotensin
What is this substance? Renin-angiotensin is another important hormone that has a strong effect on the functioning of the circulatory system and the regulation of blood pressure. When does its synthesis occur? It begins to be produced by the body with an increase in blood pressure, as a result of which it gradually normalizes.
This hormone is synthesized only in the adrenal cortex. Therefore, its too low or high content in the body, as a rule, indicates the presence of any disease or impaired renal function, as well as the fact that a person has abnormal blood pressure.
High renin in the body
If the renin-angiotensin of the aldosterone system is contained in the body in too much, significantly exceeding the norm, this can lead to serious complications and pathologies. As a result, the normal functioning of the internal organs may be impaired. The biggest problems are observed in the work of the heart, kidneys and circulatory system. As a rule, people on an ongoing basis develop high blood pressure, which leads to serious complications in the later stages.
All the insidiousness of this dangerous disease lies in the fact that in the early stages of development it is impossible to distinguish it from hypertension.
It is accompanied by the same symptoms:
- palpitations;
- noise in ears;
- migraine;
- dizziness.
Today, a huge number of people face hypertension, especially those living in big cities and abusing alcohol. Therefore, the above symptoms are not uncommon. If even the slightest suspicion of chronic high blood pressure appears, it is necessary to undergo an examination immediately, since this disease can not only cause irreparable harm to health, but also lead to death.
Age-related changes and blood pressure
So, renin - what is it? This substance is responsible for regulating blood pressure. If his level is too high or low, then a person may have health problems. But here it is important to understand that blood pressure can be increased not only due to improper functioning of the adrenal cortex, but also be caused by age-related changes.
Studies show that approximately 70% of Russians over the age of 45 are diagnosed with various diseases of the cardiovascular system. Such disappointing statistics is due to the fact that as they grow older, the arteries narrow, resulting in increased blood pressure. As a result of this, the renin-angiotensin of the aldosterone system, produced in the body, begins to increase already high blood pressure.
At risk are people suffering from obesity and high blood glucose, as this only complicates the course of the disease and can cause various serious complications. This is due to the fact that too high a concentration of the hormone renin can lead to kidney damage and impaired functioning of the urethra. In addition, blood purification and the removal of toxins and other dangerous elements from it are disrupted, as a result of which all harmful substances enter the bladder.
Arterial hypertension and elevated renin levels in the body
One of the most hardworking organs in our body are the kidneys. They are constantly functioning to the maximum, purifying about 1.5 tons of blood per day. With narrowing of blood vessels, the speed of blood movement increases significantly, which creates an increased load on the membrane membranes. If treatment is not scheduled on time, it can be fatal.
If the renin-angiotensin system does not work correctly, then a large amount of toxic substances that disrupt the potassium and water-salt balance begin to enter the bloodstream. As a result of this, damage occurs to the kidneys and its cells, which, in turn, causes the development of arterial hypertension of varying severity.
Consequences if untreated
If with arterial hypertension for a long period of time there is no treatment, then the patient may develop heart failure. The main reason for this is that renin performs its functions incorrectly.
The primary symptoms of congestive heart failure are:
- muscle weakness;
- inflammation of the mucous membranes throughout the body;
- severe shortness of breath even with small physical exertion;
- palpitations;
- violation of heart rate;
- numerous edema caused by poor kidney function and delayed elimination of fluid from the body.
If the patient will not be prescribed complex therapy, the disease will progress, and the human condition will worsen. In this case, not only the kidneys and adrenal glands will be affected, but also the liver. It increases in size and thickens, and the patient feels severe pain. If the renin-aldosterone system does not begin to function normally, then severe pathologies and other internal organs may appear, as well as the functioning of various systems. Too high a level of this hormone in the blood can provoke non-alcoholic cirrhosis of the liver.
Refusal to drink alcohol
Without comprehensive treatment, drinking alcohol is very dangerous, because even a small amount of alcohol can cause a complete liver failure. In addition, it is recommended to exclude fatty and spicy foods from the diet, since it creates a large burden on this organ, which negatively affects the course of the disease.
The patient has a strong shortness of breath, which torments him not only when performing physical labor, but also at rest. Therefore, it is recommended to eat only natural and healthy foods, as well as give up bad habits.
Low renin in the body
If microbial renin is produced by the adrenal glands in insufficient quantities, then the level of aldosterone in the body increases significantly. In this case, a violation of the synthesis of this hormone is almost asymptomatic. That is why it is impossible to detect the problem in time. The only manifestation is a sharp increase in blood pressure. The most common cause of this is adrenal cancer.
With a low level of the hormone renin in the blood, sodium is poorly excreted from the body, and potassium, on the contrary, begins to be excreted in large quantities. As a result of this, fluid removal is difficult and numerous edema occur in the body, and a person begins to get tired more, even with small physical exertion. In addition, arterial hypertension also develops, which is no less dangerous.
Conclusion
It will not be surprising for anyone that today many simply do not have enough time to regularly monitor their own health. The human body has a rather complex device. Every day it produces a large number of hormones and substances, as well as many biological and chemical processes. Violation of any of them, for example, insufficient or excessive production of the hormone renin, can lead to very serious consequences.
Therefore, you need to be very careful about your body. In order to live a healthy life and minimize the development of various serious diseases, it is recommended that you visit a qualified specialist at least once every six months, adhere to the correct diet, and also abandon any bad habits. After all, spoiling your health is very easy, but returning it may be already impossible.