Showing posts with label Kidney Function. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kidney Function. Show all posts

Sunday, June 29, 2014

Types Of Kidney Diseases

Types Of Kidney Diseases
Kidneys are very important to us. Presence of kidney disease can be very devastating to a person especially if there is no active functioning of the kidneys. A kidney dialysis or transplant to replace the diseased kidney might be required in worst case scenarios.



There are however several types of disease of the kidney that are classified as worse than the others. There are kidney diseases which can be "acute" implying that it is on first onset, and "dronic" implying that there is slow decline in kidney function. Both of these kidney diseases might arise due to autoimmune disorders, toxins, medications and as well infections. The worsening of the kidney functions might also be brought about by disease such as diabetes and blood pressure, although it can occur gradually.



When kidneys leak out some certain fluids or substances, it brings in another classification. Hematuria or blood urine is one of these diseases. These can be caused by sickened kidneys leaking out blood cells from the capillaries in the kidneys.



Protenuira is another fairly common kidney disease and usually comes about when protein and mostly albumin leaks out from the body. It can sometimes become so developed that there are instances where there is barely enough proteins in the body. Basically, without protein, fluid will leak all over the body (a condition referred to as "nephritic syndrome". This is always not good as we need the protein to keep the blood flowing in their vessels.



Kidney stones presence is another kidney disease where a patient excretes too much calcium oxalate into the urine and fails to drink enough water. Kidney stones might as well be caused by uric acid. Precipitation of the uric acid into stones makes it hard for them to fit in the uterus. Usually extreme pain is experienced and might result into infections as well.



Hypertension or the medications treating it might result into kidney disease. There are cases where one or both arteries leading to the kidneys are blocked forcing the kidney to release vasopressin which makes the blood pressure to rise dramatically. There are however specific blood pressure medication that can address these problems or in some cases surgery is administered to the blockage.



Chronic pyelonephritis occurs when infection gets deeper in the kidneys hence causing a lot of pain and kidney inflammation. It can as well result from hematuria.



There is however one primary disease that is cancerous and the cancer may further cause a lot of pain or bleeding in the kidney areas. This is always referred to as renal cell carcinoma which is usually treated by the replacement of the sick kidney(s)






Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Stage 4 Kidney Disease

Stage 4 Kidney Disease
There is no likelihood of both kidneys failing at once when a case of chronic kidney is reported. There is always a slow progression of the disease over a period of years. This means that doctors have an opportunity to do something in order to prevent the chronic kidney disease situation from getting worse in case there is early diagnosis.



The National Kidney Foundation has come up with subdivisions that describe five stages through which patients of kidney disease go through. This demarcation of stages is meant to enable caregivers to do their work more efficiently in order for patients to live a higher-quality life.



Each level of the kidney disease requires special forms of treatment and care. Glomerular filtration rate is a measure of kidney function, which enables doctors to know the stage of disease that the patient is in. This function requires many variables include ones age, gender, race, and serum creatinine. This means that a doctor should order that a blood test be done. Creatinine is a waste product of muscular activity in the body. As the kidney continues to fail, levels of creatinine continue to rise.



Stage 4 kidney disease is characterized by advanced damage to the kidney. The decrease in Glomerular filtration rate that is recorded confirms that the patient's disease is in stage 4. Such a patient requires dialysis. Moreover, a kidney transplant should be carried out within the shortest time possible.



When there is a decline in kidney function, it results in a build-up of wastes in the patient's blood. This condition is known as uremia. At stage 4, many complications arise. Some of the problems experienced relate to anemia, high blood pressure, heart and bone diseases.



The symptoms that characterize stage 4 kidney disease include fatigue, sleep problems and nausea. Anemia makes patients feel very tired. This is because the kidney is unable to control the amount of fluid that is retained by the body. The legs swell, a condition known as edema. If there are protein deposits in the urine, it becomes very foamy. In case it contains blood, it turns reddish or tea-colored. A person urinates less often or he might urinate too often.



At stage 4, many patients experience kidney pain. One can easily locate the source of pain by touching the region that is near the kidneys. It also becomes difficult to get any sleep. One may also experience itchy feelings, restlessness and general discomfort that make it difficult to get sleep.






Kidney Disease Support

Kidney Disease Support
Chronic or Acute renal diseases can lead to renal failure. This failure may be complete or partial. Such patients require different kind of measures to support them and to maintain the normal physiological processes.



Hamemolysis:



Haemodialysis has saved many a kidney patient's life. It is very useful in chronic renal failure. It is useful when the uremia has become very severe An arteri venous fistula should be formed in the forearm, when the plasma creatinine is consistently above 600 micromol/ l .



Haemodialysis is carried out for 4-6 hours 3 times in a week, and many patients are trained to do it themselves. Within the first 6 weeks, there is a gradual reduction of the Uremic symptoms. Plasma creatinine and blood urea, do not return to normal, and anemia may improve but persists and osteodystophy may progress.





Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis:



This is a form of long term dialysis and involves insertion of a permanent intra peritoneal catheter in to the abdominal cavity. This procedure involves introduction of sterile dialysis fluid in to the peritoneal or abdominal cavity. The normal or usual quantity used is around two litres and then these two litres of fluid are allowed to remain in the peritoneal cavity. After about six hours, this fluid is again extracted out and disposed off. Now the abdomen is again perfused with a fresh sterile dialysis fluid. This alternate extraction and perfusion process is carried out repeatedly for about four times in a day. The best part is that it does not require the patient to be in bed and can move about and also do his regular routine work.



It is particularly useful for young children and the elderly patients with other diseases like cardio vascular instability and diabetes.



Patients have been known to continue, for 5 years on this treatment and it seems to be quite safe.



Renal transplantation:



This offers the possibility of restoring normal kidney functions and thereby correcting the many different electrolyte and metabolic dysfunctions of uraemia. The graft is usually taken from a cadaver donor or a coborn or the father or the mother.



Unless there is some support system available chronic renal diseases are always fatal. Information about the long term prognosis of patients on dialysis or transplant is really limited, because it has been recently started, but technology is changing fast now. Yet dialysis and transplantation can be considered as highly effective forms of treatment. There is an average of 80% survival of 5 years for patients on haemodialysis, 65% for transplanted kidney.






Kidney Disease Stages

Kidney Disease Stages
The symptoms in kidney disease stages are quite faint that it might usually take a couple of years to realize that a person has kidney disease. At the end of the day, you should have an idea whether you are at risk through studying the stages through which the malady is depicted. Always know so many kidney symptoms could be caused by other kinds of disease other than kidney associated malady, while the only superb way to confirm this being a regular checkup through your doctor.



The first stage in kidney diseases is only a mild damage. If you are undergoing the blood creatnine test, it will show the GFR to be between 90 and 100. GFR is Glomerular Filtration Rate in full. It is a determining factor in ascertaining how the kidneys are working. At this stage you might not notice anything.



In the second stage of Kidney diseases, The GFR will be around 60-89. At this stage, it is not easy to have symptoms at all, although the urine protein might start showing. Foamy urine is a perfect protein indication. In the third stage of kidney disease, you begin noticing an increase in the times you are urinating at night. At this stage you might feel overtly fatigued as you notice some signs of Anemia. You might even begin to experience some cramps in your legs or have a very itchy dry skin, while your GFR rate is 60 and below.



In the fourth kidney disease stage, you might have to visit a nutritionist who will offer you some special kinds of diet that might work towards the curtailing of sodium, potassium and phosphorus. At this stage, you might begin to have less urine than it is the normal case as you retain fluids, where you have your extreme swelling and edema, feeling holistically unwell. It is at this stage that together with your doctor you might want to make some future plans to have a dialysis of some kind. The GFR will be likely showing 15-29 results, signifying a huge loss in the function of the kidney.



At the fifth stage, you are at a very critical stage of your own kidney failure. At this stage, the symptoms are rather obvious in a high degree, where you have extreme swelling, vomiting and nausea as well as almost no production of urine or just a teaspoonful if you are lucky. At this stage, the kidneys have not been able to filter anything, signifying you are under dialysis for your own survival. The doctor could have taking some medications that include potassium and calcium binders so that the toxins in the blood might be kept down during the dialysis treatments.






Kidney Disease Stage 3

Kidney Disease Stage 3
People who suffer from chronic kidney disease usually don't experience kidney failure all at one time. This is promising news for those with this condition because if CKD is detected early, drug therapies and lifestyle modifications can help slow down the generative process and will keep you feeling better for a longer duration.



A person who is in kidney disease stage 3 will have a moderate decline in there GFR of about 30-60 mil/min. As the kidneys decrease in their function to expel waste products from the body, these toxins can build up in the blood creating a condition called urumia.



In the case of having kidney disease in stage 3 is more susceptible to inheriting complications such as high blood pressure, anemia and premature bone disease.



Symptoms of kidney disease stage 3 are:



-Fatigue- feeling tired all of the time is common for those with CKD and is often a result of anemia.



-To much fluid retention- The kidneys can lose their ability to balance how much fluid remains in the body, causing edema( swelling) in their lower body, hands or face and can even cause shortness of breath.



- Changes in Urinary Function- Urine can become dark orange and can contain blood if there is too much protein present. This causes infrequent or frequent urination in patients.



- Back Pain- It is common that those who suffer from CKD to have lower and mid back pain.



- Insomnia- Troubled sleep patterns are often prevalent with CKD and may experience muscle cramping or restless leg syndrome that will interfere with their sleep patterns.



As a person enters into kidney disease stage 3, they are usually referred to a nephrologist for examination, testing, and treatments for the disease.



Also, a person might be referred to a dietician because diet is a very important part of treating kidney disease stage 3.



A diet low in protein, fat, calcium, sodium, and carbohydrates is usually recommended for this stage of CKD.



A healthy diet consisting of raw foods like fruits and vegetables, whole grains and lean meats is suggested for the patient so that the kidneys do not have to work as hard to break down fats and toxins.



The nephrologists goal is to determine that the patients suffering from kidney disease stage 3 receives the best possible treatment in order to keep the kidneys functioning for as long as possible.






Kidney Disease Education

Kidney Disease Education
Kidney disease education centers have been established all over the world to provide support and to educate those who are diagnosed with late stage chronic kidney disease or kidney failure.



These kidney disease education centers provide information on transplants, hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, nutrition, family concerns and financial problems related to treatment options. There are qualified nurses, dietitians and social workers present at these centers to provide information, answer questions and educate those suffering from kidney disease. The patient's family members are strongly advised to participate in these sessions to show support and to cope with their loved ones who were diagnosed with kidney disease.



Professional institutions are making it their number one priority to educate and provide professional training facilities for nurses, dietitians and social workers and in developing patient education aids, so that families as caregivers are better experienced to handle patients with kidney disease. Most families are still getting over the shock of their loved one actually suffering from the disease, education programs are the best way of taking the shock and fear away from families by educating them.



There are other institutions such as community groups, public health agencies, youth groups, professional associations, charitable and voluntary organizations that are providing patients and their families suffering from kidney disease, educational aids and support networks.



The kidney disease education programs organized by various institutions help to provide the following,



Educate people with kidney disease on how to stay healthy



Taking control of the disease and in leading a normal life as much as possible



Provide education on the various stages of the disease and what to expect



How to prolong the disease



Medication that is available and what option to choose



How to maintain your life style and cope with the disease



Eating healthy



Indulging in normal activates and hobbies that the patient once loved doing



Emotional stress



Dealing with work pressure



Financial stress



General fear of the disease



Prolong the kidney function



A common playing field to share common problems and concerns associated with the disease



Improving the quality of life



What happens to the kidneys through different stages of kidney disease



How to cope with the various stages of kidney disease



Those who visit these kidney education centers have a lot of positive feedback to share and they look forward to visiting these education centers on a regular basis. Families are also finding these education centers rewarding and encouraging.






High Blood Pressure Kidney Disease

High Blood Pressure Kidney Disease
The kidneys have a very crucial role to play in keeping an individual's blood pressure in its required normal range, although blood pressure can affect the health status of the kidneys. High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, can adversely affect the kidneys and lead to chronic kidney disease. High blood pressure can be described as the force of blood against walls of the blood vessels. When there is an increase in the amount of fluids in the blood vessels, it will heighten high blood pressure. Stiff, narrow, and clogged blood vessels will also heighten high blood pressure.



High blood pressure kidney disease occurs when the heart is forced to work extra hard which as a result can damage the blood vessels in the whole body. When the blood vessels in the kidneys get damaged, their normal functioning i.e. excreting wastes and extra fluid from the blood, will cease. The excess fluid present in the blood vessels will automatically raise the blood pressure, and the cycle, although very dangerous, will go on.



High blood pressure kidney disease, otherwise known as end-stage renal disease, is a very serious condition that may force sufferers to get a kidney transplant, or dialysis - regular blood-cleansing routines. There are no symptoms associated with high blood pressure, and the only way to detect is when the doctor measures the blood pressure using a blood pressure cuff. The result will be expressed in two figures where the top figure represents the pressure of the blood when the heart is beating and the bottom figure will represent the pressure when the heart rest in between beats.



The signs and symptoms of high blood pressure kidney disease are equally not noticeable in the early stages. Someone can have the end-stage renal disease and not know it because they will not feel sick. However, by measuring the competence level of the kidneys to filter waste using the glomerular filtration rate (DFR), one can be able to detect the condition. The only way you can control high blood pressure kidney disease is through medications, and changing lifestyles to ensure that the blood pressure remains below 130/80. Everyone is susceptible to high blood pressure kidney disease, although diabetics are at a greater risk. As such, it is always advisable to ensure that proper diagnosis is made at the earliest available opportunity so that one can manage the condition and avoid future complications.






Monday, June 23, 2014

Chronic Kidney Disease Stages

Chronic Kidney Disease Stages
Chronic kidney diseases are also known as chronic renal diseases. This disease is caused by the failure of the kidney functions over the years or months. There are no specific symptoms of this disease but patients at first generally feel uncomfortable and they suffer from reduced appetite. Chronic kidney diseases are generally identified while checking other kidney related problems such as diabetes or high blood pressure. Chronic kidney disorder is identified by blood test done for creatinine. Creatinine can be normal in the initial stages of the disease but it can be identified by the urinalysis. During urinalysis results can show that whether kidney is performing the functions normally or not. There is no specific treatment of this disease and it can be cured by completely transplanting kidney in the final stages. It's a kind of dialysis. Some of the stages which are involved in this chronic kidney disease are described below:



1. Stage 1 - at this stage the normal functions are slightly diminished and the glomerular filtration rate is more than 90 ml/minute. At this stage chronic kidney disease can be identified by the urine test.



2. Stage 2 - the glomerular filtration rates decreases rapidly and comes to 60 to 89 ml/minute. Kidney damage is also starts at a greater rate. Functions start to diminish rapidly. Kidney allows proteins and other useful substances to flow out with urine.



3. Stage 3 - the reduction in the glomerular filtration rates increases and it reduces to 30 to 59 ml/minute. The kidney damage is about 30% and the kidney functions poorly. This stage is considered by the doctors as the stage before the maximum damage or complete failure.



4. Stage 4 - at this stage kidney functions very badly and the glomerular filtration rates are reduced considerably to 15 to 29 ml/minute. Kidney at this stage losses the power to filter urine properly. At this stage doctors generally prepares for renal replacement process as this is the stage where replacement is the only option.



5. Stage 5 - at this stage kidney fails permanently and the glomerular filtration rates get reduced to less than 15 ml/minute. Kidney stops functioning and so the only option to cure this disease at this stage is permanent replacement of kidneys.



The main cause of chronic kidney disease is hypertension and diabetes nephropathy. These two reasons of chronic kidney disease, account for more than 79% of total adult kidney cases.






Chronic Kidney Disease Diet

Chronic Kidney Disease Diet
A person with chronic kidney disease should always eat a diet that has low-protein content. Too much protein makes the kidney problem to get worse. The diet should also contain low amounts of potassium and sodium. For some patients, it is also important for fluid restrictions to be imposed.



Some people suffer from both diabetes and chronic kidney disease. In this case, a diet that is low on carbohydrates is recommended. A special diet for kidney disease patients ensures that minimal stress is put on the kidney as far as its functioning is concerned. Too much protein increases kidney activity and this makes the disease progress very quickly.



Sodium can sometimes be restricted in order to make it easy for blood pressure to b e controlled easily without putting the kidney under excessive stress. If potassium levels in the blood are high, the doctor will advise the patient to reduce the intake of this element. Too much potassium will lead to dangerous heartbeat rhythms.



In every chronic kidney disease diet where controlled amounts are required, the patient's consumption patterns should be determined by the levels of each component in the patient's blood. This means that the amount of sodium, protein, potassium and urea should be ascertained. The protein measure encompasses body levels of both albumin and protein. Urea is a bodily waste product most of which is released through urine.



You should restrict the amount of fluid in your body only when so much of it has accumulated in the system. Phosphorus and calcium should also be closely monitored. A chronic kidney disease diet that has too much should be avoided since phosphorous levels tend to go up among people with kidney disease.



Complex carbohydrates form the best diets for these people. You need to eat more carbohydrates as opposed to fats. Calories that comes from fats should be sourced from polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. Diabetic people should seek very closely monitored assistance from their health providers in order for them to be able to regulate their carbohydrate needs properly. The carbohydrates should be range between low and moderate-levels and the patient should always stick to healthy fats.



Some side effects of choosing these diets have to do largely with deficiencies. A person who does not consume proteins will miss very essential amino acids. A low-protein diet is also low in vitamins thiamin, riboflavin and niacin. These elements are very essential to the body.