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AtlasMetabolic, hormones & kidneysChronic kidney disease

Chronic kidney disease due to hypertension

2Disease-modifyingAI-generated

Hypertensive kidney disease can be slowed, not reversed.AI-generated

Burden-over-time charts — how many people this disease affects and whether that number is rising or falling — are coming to this page. The treatability read, milestones, and live trial pipeline below are current.

Milestones

dot size = significance
199020002010202020251989 — Epoetin alfa approved (FDA)1989 — Pinacidil anhydrous approved (FDA)1990 — Isradipine approved (FDA)1990 — Doxazosin approved (FDA)1991 — Moxonidine approved (FDA)1991 — Benazepril approved (FDA)1991 — Felodipine approved (FDA)1991 — Fosinopril approved (FDA)1991 — Quinapril approved (FDA)1991 — Ramipril approved (FDA)1992 — Bisoprolol approved (FDA)1992 — Amlodipine approved (FDA)1993 — Pantothenic acid approved (FDA)1993 — Riboflavin approved (FDA)1993 — Perindopril approved (FDA)1993 — Torsemide approved (FDA)1995 — Losartan approved (FDA)1995 — Carvedilol approved (FDA)1995 — Moexipril approved (FDA)1995 — Nisoldipine approved (FDA)1996 — Brimonidine approved (FDA)1996 — Atorvastatin approved (FDA)1996 — Valsartan approved (FDA)1996 — Latanoprost approved (FDA)1996 — Trandolapril approved (FDA)1997 — Epoetin beta approved (FDA)1997 — Irbesartan approved (FDA)1997 — Fenoldopam approved (FDA)1997 — Eprosartan approved (FDA)1998 — Candesartan cilexetil approved (FDA)1998 — Sildenafil approved (FDA)1998 — Telmisartan approved (FDA)1998 — Paricalcitol approved (FDA)1998 — Sevelamer hydrochloride approved (FDA)1999 — Oseltamivir approved (FDA)1999 — Doxercalciferol approved (FDA)1999 — Nitric oxide approved (FDA)2000 — Iron sucrose approved (FDA)2001 — Bosentan approved (FDA)2001 — Darbepoetin alfa approved (FDA)2002 — Treprostinil approved (FDA)2002 — Olmesartan medoxomil approved (FDA)2002 — Eplerenone approved (FDA)2002 — Tadalafil approved (FDA)2002 — Epoetin delta approved (FDA)2003 — Iloprost approved (FDA)2004 — Lanthanum carbonate approved (FDA)2004 — Cinacalcet approved (FDA)2006 — Sitaxentan approved (FDA)2007 — Aliskiren approved (FDA)2007 — Sevelamer approved (FDA)2007 — Epoetin zeta approved (FDA)2007 — Nebivolol approved (FDA)2007 — Methoxy polyethylene glycol-epoetin beta approved (FDA)2007 — Ambrisentan approved (FDA)2009 — Ferumoxytol approved (FDA)2009 — Epoetin theta approved (FDA)2010 — Ceftaroline fosamil approved (FDA)2010 — Macitentan approved (FDA)2011 — Azilsartan medoxomil approved (FDA)2012 — Dapagliflozin approved (FDA)2013 — Riociguat approved (FDA)2014 — Empagliflozin approved (FDA)2015 — Selexipag approved (FDA)2015 — Ferric pyrophosphate citrate approved (FDA)2016 — Etelcalcetide approved (FDA)2019 — Levamlodipine approved (FDA)2019 — Sotagliflozin approved (FDA)2021 — Roxadustat approved (FDA)2021 — Difelikefalin approved (FDA)2021 — Finerenone approved (FDA)2023 — Daprodustat approved (FDA)2023 — Vadadustat approved (FDA)2024 — Aprocitentan approved (FDA)
1989: Drug approval — Epoetin alfa approved (FDA). 1989: Drug approval — Pinacidil anhydrous approved (FDA). 1990: Drug approval — Isradipine approved (FDA). 1990: Drug approval — Doxazosin approved (FDA). 1991: Drug approval — Moxonidine approved (FDA). 1991: Drug approval — Benazepril approved (FDA). 1991: Drug approval — Felodipine approved (FDA). 1991: Drug approval — Fosinopril approved (FDA). 1991: Drug approval — Quinapril approved (FDA). 1991: Drug approval — Ramipril approved (FDA). 1992: Drug approval — Bisoprolol approved (FDA). 1992: Drug approval — Amlodipine approved (FDA). 1993: Drug approval — Pantothenic acid approved (FDA). 1993: Drug approval — Riboflavin approved (FDA). 1993: Drug approval — Perindopril approved (FDA). 1993: Drug approval — Torsemide approved (FDA). 1995: Drug approval — Losartan approved (FDA). 1995: Drug approval — Carvedilol approved (FDA). 1995: Drug approval — Moexipril approved (FDA). 1995: Drug approval — Nisoldipine approved (FDA). 1996: Drug approval — Brimonidine approved (FDA). 1996: Drug approval — Atorvastatin approved (FDA). 1996: Drug approval — Valsartan approved (FDA). 1996: Drug approval — Latanoprost approved (FDA). 1996: Drug approval — Trandolapril approved (FDA). 1997: Drug approval — Epoetin beta approved (FDA). 1997: Drug approval — Irbesartan approved (FDA). 1997: Drug approval — Fenoldopam approved (FDA). 1997: Drug approval — Eprosartan approved (FDA). 1998: Drug approval — Candesartan cilexetil approved (FDA). 1998: Drug approval — Sildenafil approved (FDA). 1998: Drug approval — Telmisartan approved (FDA). 1998: Drug approval — Paricalcitol approved (FDA). 1998: Drug approval — Sevelamer hydrochloride approved (FDA). 1999: Drug approval — Oseltamivir approved (FDA). 1999: Drug approval — Doxercalciferol approved (FDA). 1999: Drug approval — Nitric oxide approved (FDA). 2000: Drug approval — Iron sucrose approved (FDA). 2001: Drug approval — Bosentan approved (FDA). 2001: Drug approval — Darbepoetin alfa approved (FDA). 2002: Drug approval — Treprostinil approved (FDA). 2002: Drug approval — Olmesartan medoxomil approved (FDA). 2002: Drug approval — Eplerenone approved (FDA). 2002: Drug approval — Tadalafil approved (FDA). 2002: Drug approval — Epoetin delta approved (FDA). 2003: Drug approval — Iloprost approved (FDA). 2004: Drug approval — Lanthanum carbonate approved (FDA). 2004: Drug approval — Cinacalcet approved (FDA). 2006: Drug approval — Sitaxentan approved (FDA). 2007: Drug approval — Aliskiren approved (FDA). 2007: Drug approval — Sevelamer approved (FDA). 2007: Drug approval — Epoetin zeta approved (FDA). 2007: Drug approval — Nebivolol approved (FDA). 2007: Drug approval — Methoxy polyethylene glycol-epoetin beta approved (FDA). 2007: Drug approval — Ambrisentan approved (FDA). 2009: Drug approval — Ferumoxytol approved (FDA). 2009: Drug approval — Epoetin theta approved (FDA). 2010: Drug approval — Ceftaroline fosamil approved (FDA). 2010: Drug approval — Macitentan approved (FDA). 2011: Drug approval — Azilsartan medoxomil approved (FDA). 2012: Drug approval — Dapagliflozin approved (FDA). 2013: Drug approval — Riociguat approved (FDA). 2014: Drug approval — Empagliflozin approved (FDA). 2015: Drug approval — Selexipag approved (FDA). 2015: Drug approval — Ferric pyrophosphate citrate approved (FDA). 2016: Drug approval — Etelcalcetide approved (FDA). 2019: Drug approval — Levamlodipine approved (FDA). 2019: Drug approval — Sotagliflozin approved (FDA). 2021: Drug approval — Roxadustat approved (FDA). 2021: Drug approval — Difelikefalin approved (FDA). 2021: Drug approval — Finerenone approved (FDA). 2023: Drug approval — Daprodustat approved (FDA). 2023: Drug approval — Vadadustat approved (FDA). 2024: Drug approval — Aprocitentan approved (FDA)

What's being tested now

2000: 1 trials started2001: 2 trials started2003: 3 trials started2004: 2 trials started2006: 6 trials started2007: 1 trials started2008: 7 trials started2009: 2 trials started2010: 8 trials started2011: 4 trials started2012: 4 trials started2013: 6 trials started2014: 7 trials started2015: 10 trials started2016: 15 trials started2017: 17 trials started2018: 32 trials started2019: 40 trials started2020: 39 trials started2021: 68 trials started2022: 123 trials started2023: 179 trials started2024: 358 trials started2025: 527 trials started2026: 546 trials started2000201020202026546

Trials started per year, stacked by phase (darker = later phase). Source: ClinicalTrials.gov via Clin2, which tracks studies recruiting in recent years — early years undercount.

See all 1868 active Chronic kidney disease trials on Clin2 →

Where we are

AI-generated

Hypertensive kidney disease is treatable with disease-modifying therapies. Blood-pressure lowering—especially ACE inhibitors, ARBs, and SGLT2 inhibitors—can slow the damage, delay the need for dialysis, and lower cardiovascular events, but it cannot undo established disease. The historic turning point was the 1953 approval of hydralazine, the first practical drug for hypertension. Since then, the trend has shifted in favor of kidney preservation: where care is available, fewer people now progress quickly to kidney failure. That progress is real but uneven, because access to proven medicines remains the main limit.

Can kidney damage from high blood pressure heal?
No. Existing kidney damage is not restored by current medicines. Treatment works by lowering blood pressure and slowing further injury, which can delay kidney failure for years. Early, consistent treatment gives the best chance of remaining stable.
What does 'disease-modifying' mean for this disease?
It means the drugs alter the course of the disease rather than only managing symptoms. They slow progression to kidney failure and reduce cardiovascular events. This is a genuine benefit, but it is not a cure.
What has mattered most in changing the outlook?
The 1953 approval of hydralazine was the first major practical tool for hypertension. Later ACE inhibitors, ARBs, and SGLT2 inhibitors became the current version of that same change: safe, long-term blood-pressure control.
Are researchers still trying to improve treatment?
Yes. More than 1,800 trials have begun worldwide in the last five years, including 110 phase-3 studies, and about 1,868 active trials are still testing new ways to slow kidney damage and protect the heart.
Why is proven treatment not available for everyone?
Capability is not access. Health systems differ in cost, medicine supply, diagnostic infrastructure, and staffing. A safe and proven treatment exists but does not reach everyone who needs it, and that is now the main barrier to further progress.

Related

Chronic kidney disease due to diabetes mellitus type 1Chronic kidney disease due to diabetes mellitus type 2Chronic kidney disease due to glomerulonephritisChronic kidney disease due to other and unspecified causes

Burden estimates: IHME Global Burden of Disease Study. Drug indications: ChEMBL (CC BY-SA). Trial data: ClinicalTrials.gov via Clin2. Velocity, acceleration, and turning points are computed by Clin2 — how this page is made. Treatability describes what medicine can do, not what is available everywhere. This page describes populations, not people, and is not medical advice.