Chronic kidney disease, also called chronic
kidney failure, describes the gradual loss of kidney function. Your kidneys
filter wastes and excess fluids from your blood, which are then excreted in
your urine. When chronic kidney disease reaches an advanced stage, dangerous
levels of fluid, electrolytes and wastes can build up in your body.
In the early stages
of chronic kidney disease, you may have few signs or symptoms. Chronic kidney
disease may not become apparent until your kidney function is significantly
impaired.
Treatment for chronic kidney disease focuses on
slowing the progression of the kidney damage, usually by controlling the
underlying cause. Chronic kidney disease can progress to end-stage kidney
failure, which is fatal without artificial filtering (dialysis) or a kidney
transplant.
Symptoms
Signs and symptoms of chronic kidney disease
develop over time if kidney damage progresses slowly. Signs and symptoms of
kidney disease may include:
o Nausea
o Vomiting
o Loss of appetite
o Fatigue and weakness
o Sleep problems
o Changes in how much you urinate
o Decreased mental sharpness
o Muscle twitches and cramps
o Swelling of feet and ankles
o Persistent itching
o Chest pain, if fluid builds up around the lining of the heart
o Shortness of breath, if fluid builds up in the lungs
o High blood pressure (hypertension) that's difficult to control
Signs and symptoms of kidney disease are often
nonspecific, meaning they can also be caused by other illnesses. Because your
kidneys are highly adaptable and able to compensate for lost function, signs
and symptoms may not appear until irreversible damage has occurred.
When to see a doctor
Make an appointment
with your doctor if you have any signs or symptoms of kidney disease.
If you have a medical condition that increases
your risk of kidney disease, your doctor is likely to monitor your blood
pressure and kidney function with urine and blood tests during regular office
visits. Ask your doctor whether these tests are necessary for you.
Causes
Open pop-up dialog box
Chronic kidney disease occurs when a disease or
condition impairs kidney function, causing kidney damage to worsen over several
months or years.
Diseases and
conditions that cause chronic kidney disease include:
o Type 1 or type 2 diabetes
o High blood pressure
o Glomerulonephritis (gloe-mer-u-low-nuh-FRY-tis), an inflammation
of the kidney's filtering units (glomeruli)
o Interstitial nephritis (in-tur-STISH-ul nuh-FRY-tis), an
inflammation of the kidney's tubules and surrounding structures
o Polycystic kidney disease
o Prolonged obstruction of the urinary tract, from conditions such
as enlarged prostate, kidney stones and some cancers
o Vesicoureteral (ves-ih-koe-yoo-REE-tur-ul) reflux, a condition
that causes urine to back up into your kidneys
o Recurrent kidney infection, also called pyelonephritis
(pie-uh-low-nuh-FRY-tis)
Risk factors
Factors that may increase your risk of chronic
kidney disease include:
o Diabetes
o High blood pressure
o Heart and blood vessel (cardiovascular) disease
o Smoking
o Obesity
o Being African-American, Native American or Asian-American
o Family history of kidney disease
o Abnormal kidney structure
o Older age
Complications
Chronic kidney disease can affect almost every
part of your body. Potential complications may include:
o Fluid retention, which could lead to swelling in your arms and
legs, high blood pressure, or fluid in your lungs (pulmonary edema)
o A sudden rise in potassium levels in your blood (hyperkalemia),
which could impair your heart's ability to function and may be life-threatening
o Heart and blood vessel (cardiovascular) disease
o Weak bones and an increased risk of bone fractures
o Anemia
o Decreased sex drive, erectile dysfunction or reduced fertility
o Damage to your central nervous system, which can cause
difficulty concentrating, personality changes or seizures
o Decreased immune response, which makes you more vulnerable to
infection
o Pericarditis, an inflammation of the saclike membrane that
envelops your heart (pericardium)
o Pregnancy complications that carry risks for the mother and the
developing fetus
o Irreversible damage to your kidneys (end-stage kidney disease),
eventually requiring either dialysis or a kidney transplant for survival
Prevention
To reduce your risk of developing kidney
disease:
o Follow instructions
on over-the-counter medications. When using
nonprescription pain relievers, such as aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB,
others) and acetaminophen (Tylenol, others), follow the instructions on the
package. Taking too many pain relievers could lead to kidney damage and
generally should be avoided if you have kidney disease. Ask your doctor whether
these drugs are safe for you.
o Maintain a healthy
weight. If you're at a
healthy weight, work to maintain it by being physically active most days of the
week. If you need to lose weight, talk with your doctor about strategies for
healthy weight loss. Often this involves increasing daily physical activity and
reducing calories.
o Don't smoke. Cigarette smoking can damage your kidneys and make
existing kidney damage worse. If you're a smoker, talk to your doctor about
strategies for quitting smoking. Support groups, counseling and medications can
all help you to stop.
o Manage your medical
conditions with your doctor's help. If you have
diseases or conditions that increase your risk of kidney disease, work with
your doctor to control them. Ask your doctor about tests to look for signs of
kidney damage.
Many men are insecure about the size of their penis but fear not, there are ways you can enlarge your penis, naturally. Not all men are bles...
1 comment:
There are few early signs to detect if the Kidney is working properly or not. Often people with chronic kidney disease do not know its failure until it reaches the advanced stage. Before consulting a nephrologist in India and getting all the tests done, you can check on these signs and immediately consider consulting a doctor.
Post a Comment