The blood pressure in advanced urinary bilharziasis

Abstract

Hypertension may at times ensue when there is back pressure ori one or both kidneys, from disease in Lhe ureter or from increased bladder tension which is reflected back on the kidneys. It would seem, however, that hypertension does not often complicate such obstructive lesions in the lower urinary tract. But in his Croonian lecture McMichael (1961) lists hydronephrosis as one of the factors which may cause hypertension. Frequent and often serious lesions are found in the bladder and ureter in urinary bilharziasis. In the bladder we meet fibrosis, calcification and reduced capacity with increased intravesical pressure; in the ureter either dilatation or stenosis or both commonly associated with hydronephrosis (Honey and Gelfand, 1960). Gelfand (1961) points out that in bilharzial hydronephrosis hypertension is rare and discusses the relationship between advanced urinary bilharziasis and the nephrotic syndrome or pyelonephritis.