How is high blood pressure related to diabetic kidney disease?

High blood pressure is related to diabetic kidney disease in many ways. If you have high blood pressure, also called hypertension, or a family history of this disease, you are at a higher risk for developing kidney disease. High blood pressure is also caused by diabetic kidney disease. It can take many years to develop high blood pressure. Drugs used to lower blood pressure can significantly slow the progression of diabetic kidney disease. Therefore, you should talk to your doctor about taking blood pressure-lowering drugs, and have your blood pressure tested regularly to prevent complications.