Chronic Kidney Disease And Kidney Failure

Chronic kidney disease is when the kidneys are not working as well as they should.

It is long term condition, found more in the elderly.

It is more common among the blacks and the south Asians.

You can live long lives with chronic kidney disease, but in occasional cases, it could get worse, progress and the kidneys would stop working. It is then called Kidney failure.

Chronic kidney disease is diagnosed by a blood test – renal (kidney) function test.

What problems do you complain of in chronic kidney failure?

In the early stages, people feel perfectly well, and you do not suffer from any complains

The problems start in the more advanced stage.

     Tiredness

     Swollen ankles, feet, and hands

     Shortness of breath

     Feeling sick

     Blood in the urine

Causes of chronic kidney disease.

    High blood pressure – check your blood pressure regularly.

     Diabetes

     High cholesterol

     Kidney infections

     Kidney inflammation- glomerulonephritis

     Polycystic Kidney disease – inherited and runs in families. The people have several cysts in their kidneys

      Kidney stones – can cause blockage of urine flow and recurrent kidney infections.

       Medications – Long term and regular use of some tablets like ibuprofen, naproxen, indomethacin ( indocid), water tablets can damage the kidneys.

   Prevention

   Control of high blood pressure – measure your blood pressure regularly.   Take your blood pressure tablets if a doctor had prescribed it.

   Control of high cholesterol – changes in the lifestyle like eating healthy, exercise, lose weight, stop smoking. Take your cholesterol tablets if a doctor has prescribed it.

   Proper control of diabetes – Try to maintain normal sugar level. Uncontrolled diabetes can damage your kidneys.

  Treat kidney infections without delay

  Avoid long term and regular use of common tablets like ibuprofen, naproxen, and indomethacin.

Treatment

       1 in 50 people with chronic kidney disease would progress to kidney failure.

       Lifestyle changes to reduce blood pressure and cholesterol would reduce the chance of progression to kidney failure. Take the tablets regularly to control the blood pressure and cholesterol, if your doctor has advised you to do so.

       Dialysis – Where the patient would be attached a few times a week to a machine to perform the essential work of the kidneys.

       Kidney transplant – where you would need a new kidney from usually a donor.

But prevention is better than cure. Protect your own kidneys