Showing posts with label chronic kidney disease. Show all posts
Showing posts with label chronic kidney disease. Show all posts

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Hypertension Kidney Disease

Hypertension Kidney Disease
The role of one's kidneys is keeping the blood pressure in a healthy and normal range, as high blood pressure can affect the overall health of your kidneys. High blood pressure or hypertension causes damage to the kidneys.



Hypertension is the cause of too much fluid in normal blood vessels. Excess fluid in the body increases the amount of fluid in the blood vessels making the blood pressure very high. Narrow or blocked blood vessels increase blood pressure. People with high blood pressure should see a doctor or family physician regularly.



High blood pressure or hypertension makes the heart work extra hard and cause a lot of damage to the blood vessels over a period of time. Blood vessels in the kidneys once damaged, stops the removal of waste and extra fluid from the body. The extra fluid in the blood vessels increases the blood pressure. It's a deadly pattern.



Hypertension is said to be the main causes of kidney failure. People suffering from hypertension kidney failure must receive a kidney transplant or require dialysis. Each year, hypertension kidney disease causes more than 75,000 new cases of kidney failure in the World. Hypertension may cause further complications such as heart disease and stroke.



People with hypertension kidney disease have no symptoms. Blood pressure checks performed by a physician are the only way to know if the person is suffering from hypertension.



In order to prevent hypertension from damaging the kidneys, one should keep their blood pressure below 130/80. This can be achieved through the following,



Maintain normal body weight. Include plenty of fruits, vegetables, grains, and low-fat dairy foods in the diet.



Reduce daily sodium intake, making sure that the food consumed has less sodium. Check the labels on packaged food.



Regular exercise such as walking, a light jog or cycling a short distance



Avoid too much alcohol and the intake of caffeine.



Many people need medication to control hypertension kidney, there are two types of medication called ACE (angiotensin-converting enzyme) inhibitors and ARBs (angiotensin receptor blockers). It is necessary to see a physician regularly until the blood pressure has fallen to an acceptable level.



Everyone is at risk of developing kidney failure from high blood pressure, especially those with diabetes, who have an increased risk of developing hypertension kidney failure.



Researchers are in the process of understanding kidney failure and finding treatments to stop its progression.






Monday, June 23, 2014

Chronic Kidney Disease Treatment

Chronic Kidney Disease Treatment
Chronic kidney disease is an ailment that results in the gradual and generally permanent loss of one's kidney function with passing time. It can take months or years for this to happen. There are five stages of this disease, in increasing levels of severity. The Stage five of this disease is also called end-stage renal failure, because it correlates to complete or nearly complete loss of any kidney function and the patient can only survive through a kidney transplant or dialysis. Another term for kidney failure is renal failure, as the word 'renal' is related to the kidney.



There are many ways in which this disease is treated, both through medication as well as self-treatment at home by the patient. Self-treatment is not sufficient or advised if it is used on its own, but in combination with medical treatment it can help patients feel more comfortable while dealing with this disease. The main self-treatment is in the form of dietary rules that the patient needs to follow to try and slow down the progression of the disease and keep away some of the complications it can cause.



Some of the general dietary rules can help a great deal in decreasing the rate at which this disease progresses. A protein restriction can slow down the disease, and a dietician is needed to make sure how much protein you can healthily cut down on. Salt is also limited to four to six grams a day so that there is less fluid retention and this also helps with high blood pressure. Many people think that drinking more water will help with chronic kidney disease, but this proves to be a myth as many doctors will recommend less water intake. The amount of potassium ingested also needs to be reduced because kidneys cannot get rid of potassium, so food such as bananas, nuts, oranges and potatoes should be avoided. Along with this, not smoking and losing excess weight can be beneficial.



Medical treatment is highly specialized when it comes to this disease because there are many medicines that can be harmful to a pair of kidneys that are suffering from this disease. Some medicines that need to be avoided or used carefully are analgesics such as aspirin and NSAIDs such as ibuprofen. Antacids and laxatives with aluminum and magnesium like Mylanta or Milk of Magnesia need to be avoided, as does ulcer medication. Decongestants should also be used with caution, particularly if you suffer from high blood pressure.






Chronic Kidney Disease Symptoms

Chronic Kidney Disease Symptoms
Kidney diseases affect people of all ages and sexes, although it tends to be more prevalent among the baby boomers, particularly those suffering from hypertension or diabetes. A kidney damage or diminished functioning of the same lasting for 3 or more months is known as chronic kidney disease (CKD). CKD can be caused by a number of factors, and depending on the cause, the progress of the condition may be very slow or very fast.



Chronic Kidney disease is somewhat dangerous as one may not exhibit any symptoms until substantial, normally irreparable, damage has already been done. However, people with this condition may start having some telling physical symptoms like lower back pain, troubles urinating, problems with concentration and sleeping, nausea, fatigue, and moderate swelling on the ankles and feet.



As the disease progresses, the symptoms will become more apparent whereby individuals will start experiencing considerable discomfort when urinating, if at all they will be able to pass urine at all, which in this case the urine may appear bloody or extremely dark in color. As the kidneys get damaged, they become less effective in getting rid of water from the body which may result in swelling of the eyes and extremities because the tissues will be excessively saturated with excess body fluids.



As the disease goes on to appoint of complete kidney failure, an individual may start experiencing severe cases of nausea, fatigue, anemia, shortness of breathe, itchy skin, feeling dizzy and disoriented, severe lower back pain, muscle cramps, fragile bones, and headaches. If chronic kidney disease is left untreated, the kidneys can shut down completely, causing irreparable damage to very many internal organs hence leading to death.



Be advised though that some patients may not experience any symptoms particularly in the early stages of the condition while others, the blood pressure may increase due to the build up of body fluids, alongside edema. Poor appetite, heart problems, feeling thirsty very often and the abovementioned urinating a lot. By the time the major symptoms show up, the disease may be very advance.



It is therefore advisable to seek medical attention as soon as the slightest of symptoms show because the earlier the disease is detected, the higher the chances of managing it, which will save one the costly and painful dialysis, or kidney transplant in cases of complete kidney failure. The risks of chronic kidney disease can be reduced by watching the blood pressure keenly, eating a well balanced diet, and watching the kind of medications one is using.






Chronic Kidney Disease

Chronic Kidney Disease
The kidneys are organs that are similar to a shape of a bean seed. Their main function is to remove waste products and excess water from the blood. The kidneys play a huge role in regulating levels of various minerals such as calcium, sodium, and potassium in the blood. The kidneys also help control blood pressure and make red blood cells.



Chronic kidney disease is when a person gradually looses the function of the kidneys. This happens gradually and over time, it could be a month or maybe even years. Acute kidney failure develops in response to a disorder that directly affects the kidney or neglect. With the correct treatment one can completely recover from this disease.



Common causes of chronic kidney disease are high blood pressure, infections or urinary blockages, diabetes, family history of the disease, age and high blood pressure. Chronic kidney disease can lead to kidney failure; however, early treatment can slow or prevent the disease.



The symptoms of chronic kidney disease are:



Feeling tired and lack of energy



Feeling weak



Loss of or poor appetite



Not sleeping or trouble in sleeping



Not thinking clearly



Swelling of the feet and ankles



Trouble focusing and concentrating



Muscle cramping at night and urinating often in the night



Puffiness around the eyes



Dry and itchy skin



Metallic taste in mouth



The five stages of chronic kidney disease is as follows,



Stage 1 - Slight kidney damage with normal or increased filtration



Stage 2 - Mild decrease in kidney function



Stage 3 - Moderate decrease in kidney function



Stage 4 - Severe decrease in kidney function



Stage 5 - Kidney failure requiring dialysis or transplantation



Chronic kidney disease is treated for High triglyceride and cholesterol levels.



Triglycerides are a type of fat. Triglyceride levels often are higher in people who have kidney disease, and Anemia. Doctors will also ask a person suffering from the disease to avoid certain foods and may also put the patient on a diet plan.



Chronic kidney disease can get worse over time even with the right treatment. Eventually the kidneys stop working and will lead to kidney failure. When this occurs, waste builds up in the body and becomes toxic. These toxins can cause vomiting, weakness, confusion and will lead to a coma.



Doctors would then need to treat this condition by using dialysis.



In order to prevent chronic kidney disease one should eat healthy food, have regular exercise, lower your blood pressure if suffering from high blood pressure, lower sugar levels if suffering from diabetics and quit smoking.






Acute Kidney Disease

Acute Kidney Disease
A normal human being has two fist-size, bean-shaped kidneys. The kidneys are found on either side of the spine and just below the lower ribs. The main function of the kidneys is filtration of by-products and toxic substances as well as maintaining the balance of body fluids. First you need to understand how kidneys function and then look at the impairments that lead to kidney failure.



The kidney uses water to excrete harmful substances in the form of urine. They also remove excess water from the body and at the same time re-absorb useful chemicals while they let toxic substances to pass freely to the bladder in what we see as urine. This way, the kidneys allow people to take in different foods, drugs, additives and fluids without worrying so much that the toxic levels of these substances will peak to dangerous levels. The kidneys are also responsible for the regulation of various chemicals in the body and also the amount of water in the body.



For effective filtration, the blood must circulate through the kidneys.



The process of filtration



The blood passes through the glomeruli, which are complex structures consisting of tiny blood cells entwined together. Useful substances which are in the blood are absorbed, selectively filtered and reabsorbed in the glomeruli for further filtration while the harmful substances plus waste materials are excreted with water as urine.



Acute kidney failure, also called renal failure, occurs when the kidney cannot perform effectively all the roles described above. Kidney failure leads to the build up of toxic substances in the body which can cause dangerous health problems. The difference between acute and chronic condition is that acute kidney disorder happens more rapidly.



One of the leading side effects that are associated with this disease is the tendency of the patients to suffer dehydration. Dehydration can be defined as the condition in which the loss of body fluids, especially water, is more than the amount that is taken in. When dehydration happens, it means more water is getting out of the body at a rate that is higher than it can be replaced.



The body loses water through sweat, when we exhale, in urine and also in our stool. Salts and other toxic wastes are also lost in the process. When our bodies lose too much water, they become dehydrated. Severe dehydration is dangerous and may lead to death if not attended immediately.