Kidney failure, also called renal failure or renal insufficiency, is a health condition of diminished kidney function where the kidneys fail to satisfactorily filter metabolic waste in the blood. The two main kinds are severe kidney injury, which is often reversible with adequate therapy, and chronic kidney disorder, which is usually not reversible. In both scenarios, there’s usually an underlying reason.
Kidney failure is mainly dependent on a decline glomerular filtration rate, that’s the speed at which blood is filtered in the glomeruli of the kidney. The status is detected by means of a reduction in or lack of urine manufacturing or conclusion of waste products (creatinine or urea) from the blood. Depending on the cause, hematuria (blood loss in the urine) and proteinuria (protein loss in the urine) may be noted.
In kidney failure, there could be issues with greater fluid within the body (resulting in swelling), increased acidity levels, elevated levels of potassium, diminished amounts of calcium, raise in amounts of phosphate, also in later phases nausea. Bone health might also be affected. Long-term kidney issues are correlated with a heightened chance of cardiovascular disease.
Chronic kidney disorder, also known as chronic kidney failure, explains the gradual loss of kidney function. Your kidneys filter wastes and excess fluids from the blood, which are subsequently excreted in your urine. When chronic kidney disease reaches an advanced stage, dangerous levels of fluid, electrolytes and wastes may build up inside the human body.
At the first stages of chronic kidney disease, you might have few symptoms or signs. Chronic kidney disease may not become evident before your kidney function is considerably diminished.
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 of kidney failure
Signs and symptoms of chronic kidney disease develop over time if kidney damage progresses slowly. Signs and symptoms of kidney disease may include:
- Muscle twitches and cramps
- Swelling of feet and ankles
- Persistent itching
- Chest pain, if fluid builds up around the lining of the heart
- Shortness of breath, if fluid builds up in the lungs
- High blood pressure (hypertension) that’s difficult to control
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Loss of appetite
- Fatigue and weakness
- Sleep problems
- Changes in how much you urinate
- Decreased mental sharpness
Symptoms and signs of kidney disease tend to be nonspecific, meaning that they may also be caused due to other disorders. Since your kidneys are highly elastic and can compensate for missing function, symptoms and signs might not appear until irreversible damage has happened.
kidney failure causes
Chronic kidney disease occurs when a disorder or illness impairs kidney function, causing kidney impairment to worsen over a few months or even years.
Diseases and conditions that cause chronic kidney disease include:
- Polycystic kidney disease
- Prolonged obstruction of the urinary tract, from conditions such as enlarged prostate, kidney stones and some cancers
- Vesicoureteral (ves-ih-koe-yoo-REE-tur-ul) reflux, a condition that causes urine to back up into your kidneys
- Recurrent kidney infection, also called pyelonephritis (pie-uh-low-nuh-FRY-tis)
- Type 1 or type 2 diabetes
- High blood pressure
Prevention of kidney failure
Don’t smoke.
Manage your medical conditions with your doctor’s help
Maintain a healthy weight.
