Chronic Kidney Failure – Causes, Symptoms and Treatments!
Chronic Kidney Failure – Causes, Symptoms and Treatments and everything we should know. In addition, chronic kidney failure , also called chronic kidney disease, is the slow loss of functioning of the kidneys , whose main function is to remove waste and excess water from the body.
Main Causes of Chronic Kidney Failure: Chronic kidney failure occurs when a disease or other health condition impairs kidney function, causing damage to the kidneys – which tends to worsen over several months and even years. The diseases and conditions that commonly cause chronic kidney disease include:
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- Types 1 and 2 diabetes
- Hypertension
- Glomerulonephritis, which is inflammation of the glomeruli, functional units of the kidneys, where blood filtration occurs
- interstitial nephritis
- Polycystic kidney disease and other congenital disorders that affect the kidneys
- Prolonged obstruction of the urinary tract, which happens thanks to specific conditions such as an enlarged prostate, kidney stones and some types of cancer
- vesicoureteral reflux
- Recurrent kidney infection, also called pyelonephritis
- autoimmune diseases
- Kidney injury or trauma
- Overuse of pain reliever if other medications
- Use of some toxic chemicals
- Kidney artery problems
- reflux nephropathy
Chronic kidney failure leads to a buildup of fluid and waste in the body. This disease affects most of the body’s systems and functions, including red blood cell production, blood pressure control, vitamin D content, and bone health.
Risk Factors
Factors that can increase a person’s risk of developing chronic kidney failure include:
- Diabetes
- Hypertension
- Heart diseases
- Smoke
- Obesity
- High cholesterol
- Be African American, Native American, or Asian American
- Having a family history of kidney disease
- Be 65 years of age or older
Symptoms of Chronic Kidney Failure : Chronic kidney disease slowly gets worse over time. In the early stages, it may be asymptomatic. Loss of function usually takes months to occur.
It can be so slow that symptoms do not appear until kidney function is less than a tenth of normal. That is, when the person realizes it, he usually already has the functioning of the kidneys completely compromised.
The first symptoms of chronic kidney failure often also occur with other diseases and may be the only signs of kidney failure until it is in an advanced stage. Symptoms can include:
- General malaise and fatigue
- Generalized itching (pruritus) and dry skin
- Headaches
- unintentional weight loss
- loss of appetite
- nausea
Other symptoms that may appear, particularly when kidney function worsens, include:
- Abnormally fair or dark skin
- bone pain
- drowsiness and confusion
- Difficulty concentrating and thinking
- Numbness in the hands, feet and other areas of the body
- Muscle spasms or cramps
- Bad breath
- Easy bruising, bleeding or blood in the stool
- excessive thirst
- frequent hiccups
- Low level of sexual interest and impotence
- Interruption of menstrual period (amenorrhea)
- Sleep disorders such as insomnia, restless legs syndrome, and sleep apnea
- Swelling of hands and legs (edema)
- Vomiting, usually in the morning
Diagnosis of Chronic Kidney Failure: Hypertension is almost always present during all stages of kidney disease. A neurological exam may show signs of nerve damage. The doctor can listen, with the help of a stethoscope, for abnormal noises in the heart or lungs. Urinalysis may also show protein or other changes. These changes can appear from six months to ten years or more, before symptoms appear.
Tests that check kidney function include:
- creatinine levels
- BUN (blood urea nitrogen)
- creatinine clearance
Chronic kidney failure changes the results of many tests. Each patient needs to check the levels of some salts and minerals present in the blood regularly, with a frequency of approximately two to three months, with a complete blood count and a cholesterol check test. See the substances whose levels this disease usually harms:
Possible causes of chronic kidney failure can be identified in:
- abdominal computed tomography
- abdominal MRI
- abdominal ultrasound
- kidney ultrasound
- The doctor may also take a small sample of the tissue that lines the kidneys for laboratory analysis. This test can also help identify possible causes of chronic kidney failure .
Chronic Kidney Failure Treatment: Controlling blood pressure is key to delaying most of the damage caused by chronic kidney failure . The goal of this phase of treatment is to keep blood pressure below 130/80 mmHg.
Other treatments may include:
- Special drugs used to help prevent Phosphorus levels in the blood from getting too high
- Treatment for anemia , with the addition of iron to the diet, use of oral iron supplements, intravenous injections to meet the need for this substance in the bloodstream, and blood transfusions
- Calcium and Vitamin D Supplements
- Changes in routine and in daily and eating habits should also occur. Allied to medical treatment, these adaptations to the current condition are essential to ensure the patient’s quality of life.
Hemodialysis: The time to start dialysis depends on different factors, such as the results of laboratory tests, the severity of the symptoms and the patient’s disposition for the sessions.
The patient must begin to prepare for dialysis before it is actually needed. Preparation involves learning about dialysis and the types that exist, as well as the procedures that must be performed before sessions.
Kidney transplantation emerges as one of the last options for a patient with chronic renal failure .
Medications for Chronic Kidney Failure: The most commonly used drugs for the treatment of chronic kidney failure are:
- plows
- Sodium bicarbonate
- captopril
- Dopamine Hydrochloride
- diurix
- hydrochlorothiazide
- Hemax Erythron
- Noripurum EV
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Only a doctor can tell you which drug is most suitable for you, as well as the correct dosage and duration of treatment. Always follow your doctor’s instructions to the letter and NEVER self-medicate. Do not stop using the drug without consulting a doctor first, and if you take it more than once or in much larger amounts than prescribed, follow the instructions on the package insert.