Microscopic Blood in Urine and Kidney Function

[mike1335]

I am a 51-year old male. I am taking lotrel 5/20 mg once a day to control my BP. My Creatinine has been elevated in the past few years to 1.6-1.7 (eGFR=45-49). I have no apparent symptoms. There are microscopic blood in my urine (since I was 25). I have done extensive cystoscopy but Doctors found nothing. I wonder if my renal condition relates to blood in urine. My renal scan was normal. My Ca, PA, and Phosphorous were within the normal range. Bun=29 but microalbumin/creatinine ratio is 71.3. Uric acid level is 7.8. Thank you.

[Dr. Chan Lowe]

Hello Mike1335,

There is a condition called benign familial hematuria that can cause blood in the urine without any other conditions. With your decreased kidney function, one must also consider conditions such as IgA nephropathy that can cause the blood.

If you are not seeing a nephrologist (kidney specialist) I would strongly recommend you do so. They can help work up the cause of your hematuria as well as your decreased kidney function. You should also discuss your blood pressure medication with them. Lotrel contains a medicine in the class called ACE inhibitors. These can be protective of kidney function but when kidney function begins to decline they can become damaging and further deteriorate the kidneys. Your doctor can help determine if you should continue on this medicine or consider changing to a new one.

Best wishes.