The Kidney & Hypertension Group

12/12/2025

At just 33, Brandon Looney (left) was doing what he loved- performing, singing, living life when a rare disease suddenly took his kidneys to the brink. Dialysis entered his world. Uncertainty followed. But so did something extraordinary.
While raising awareness through his art, Brandon’s coworker and friend, CJ Jimenez, did more than applaud from the audience. He stepped forward and offered the ultimate gift of a living kidney. They were a great match.
Thanks to innovation at NYU Langone, CJ was able to donate through a single incision robotic procedure and return home the very same day. Brandon received the kidney and his life changed overnight.
Not long after surgery they reunited. From no working kidneys to possibility. From illness to hope. From coworker to hero.
Living kidney donation saves lives and it keeps getting safer easier and more accessible. Stories like this remind us what science humanity and generosity can do.

12/10/2025

Your amazing kidneys.

12/09/2025

A new study in the American Journal of Hypertension looked at whether taking a daily multivitamin long term could influence blood pressure in older adults.
Researchers analyzed data from the COSMOS trial, which followed nearly 9,000 adults over age 60 for more than three years. Overall, multivitamins did not lower blood pressure for everyone.
But there was an interesting finding. Older adults with lower quality diets saw small yet meaningful improvements in blood pressure and a reduced risk of developing hypertension. The benefit was strongest in people who started with normal blood pressure, suggesting multivitamins may work best as an early preventive support rather than a treatment.
Experts believe this may be because lower quality diets often lack key nutrients like potassium, magnesium, and antioxidants that help regulate blood pressure and blood vessel function. For those individuals, a multivitamin may help fill nutritional gaps.
The takeaway is clear. Multivitamins are not a replacement for healthy eating or prescribed blood pressure treatment. But for some older adults, especially those with nutritional gaps, they may be a simple supportive tool alongside a balanced diet and regular medical care.
Small steps, taken early, can make a meaningful difference over time.

12/06/2025

A surprising breakthrough in chronic kidney disease research is giving new hope to patients worldwide. A team from Tohoku University discovered that a medication originally used for constipation may actually help slow the loss of kidney function in CKD. Their findings were just published in the journal Science Advances, adding real weight to this innovative approach.
The idea came from a simple observation. Constipation is common in CKD and disrupts the gut microbiome in ways that worsen kidney health. By improving gut function, researchers wondered if they could also protect the kidneys.
In a multicenter clinical trial in Japan, patients who received lubiprostone had a slower decline in their eGFR compared with those on placebo. The medication appears to increase levels of spermidine, a compound that boosts mitochondrial activity and supports healthier kidney cells. Stronger mitochondria may help delay further kidney damage.
The next phase will expand this research and explore biomarkers to identify which patients benefit most. It signals a promising future where CKD treatment becomes more personalized instead of one size fits all.
This kind of forward movement keeps kidney medicine evolving and opens the door to therapies that truly help patients preserve function and live with confidence.

12/05/2025

So proud of all our former employee, Meagan, has achieved! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

12/05/2025

12/05/2025

Most patients living with hypertension and chronic kidney disease gain meaningful benefit when their blood pressure is treated more intensively. New data from the SPRINT Trial, presented at ASN Kidney Week 2025, showed that aiming for a systolic pressure under 120 leads to better outcomes, even in those with more advanced CKD.
Researchers found that patients experienced fewer cardiovascular events and lower mortality when treated to the lower target, and this was true across almost every subgroup. Even patients with lower eGFR gained greater overall benefit, despite a slightly higher risk of treatment related side effects. The science continues to support what top guidelines recommend. A systolic target under 120 mm Hg can be life extending for many people with CKD.
At The Kidney and Hypertension Group of South Florida, Dr Valle and Dr Bejar are both board certified in Hypertension and use this evidence every day to guide personalized care. Thoughtful BP management can change the trajectory of kidney disease, and our team is committed to helping each patient find the safest and most effective plan, promoting longterm kidney health.

12/03/2025

We can’t help being in the spirit with photos like this from one of our favorite kidney transplant patients, Bethany, of her very beautiful Golden Retriever, Luna. There is something special about the animal that accompanies you on your transplant journey. And that’s 1000x the case for this wonderful dog! Song by Dr. Valle’s daughter, Juliette Valle. ⭐️🌞♥️🎅🏻 .

12/02/2025

Amanda McCowen (right in photo) is not just a kidney donor. She was the former wife of Joshua Maples, who is now married to Angela, the woman who would one day need a lifesaving transplant. Their history could have created distance, but over years of co-parenting, something unexpected happened. Tension softened into respect, then into real care for one another.
When Angela developed renal failure, Amanda made a choice that few people could even imagine. As the ex wife, she stepped forward and donated her kidney to the woman who had become part of her children’s extended world. It was an act of generosity that rose far beyond old narratives and transformed a blended family with hope and gratitude.
Their story shows the extraordinary power of organ donation and the surprising ways love and compassion continue to grow long after life takes its twists. 💚

12/01/2025

Bernie Kosar was readmitted to the hospital just days after his liver transplant, and while no reason has been shared, this kind of return visit is not unusual in the first week after surgery. Early recovery is a period where the body and the new organ are adjusting, and transplant teams move quickly at even the smallest concern. Sometimes it is something as simple as a lab change, mild rejection that responds to treatment, an infection, or even a small postoperative bleed. These early readmissions are often precautionary and meant to protect the new liver.
The remarkable part is that patients usually continue moving forward once the team fine tunes what needs attention..

12/01/2025

Dr. Gabriel Valle finished a successful month as University of Miami Nephrology Attending- shown with UM residents Dr. Abul Ariza Manzano (left) and Dr. John Coleman. The ability to contribute to the education of young physicians is a passion for both Dr Valle and Dr. Bejar of . Dr. Bejar starts as UM Nephrology attending today for the month of December. 💚🧡🙌🏼