Ankita Amrit

Renal failure: Symptoms, complications, and treatment Contents In this article, we will take a look at: What is a renal failure? How does renal failure occur? Who is prone to the renal failure? Symptoms of a renal failure Diagnosis of renal failure Complications of renal failure Treatment for renal failure In the spotlight – Latest news on renal failure Home remedies for renal failure Did you know? What is a renal failure? Kidneys are a pair of organs that are responsible for filtering out the waste products from the body. Not only that, but they also have a role in electrolyte balance maintenance, hormonal role, regulation of blood pressure and RBC synthesis. When any of these functions cease to occur properly, it gives rise to renal failure. In most people, one kidney fails after the other. If detected on time, it can be either removed or transplanted. In case of acute failure, the patient is required to survive on dialysis or kidney transplantation. There are 2 types of renal failure: Acute renal failure: This occurs suddenly. The patient gets obvious discomfort and pain associated with it. This condition can be treated if diagnosed on time. Medications are usually enough to handle it. But if that fails, dialysis or transplantation also works well. Chronic renal failure: This one is more dangerous. It takes approximately 3 months to develop and causes permanent damage to the kidneys. How does renal failure occur? Renal failure occurs in a number of steps. The glomerular filtration rate is the standard way of gauging the kidney functionality. Stage 1 with normal or high GFR (GFR > 90 mL/min): The patients seldom realize that they are having kidney issues. There are no tell-tale signs. Most get to know about it when they are diagnosed with diabetes or high BP> Stage 2 Mild CKD (GFR = 60-89 mL/min): Blood may appear in the urine. But in most cases, the patient appears fit and fine. Stage 3A Moderate CKD (GFR = 45-59 mL/min): Fatigue, fluid retention in the body, kidney pain, insomnia, and urine nature changes are seen in this stage. Stage 3B Moderate CKD (GFR = 30-44 mL/min): GFR level is 30-44mL/min with blood in urine. Stage 4 Severe CKD (GFR = 15-29 mL/min): The patient is at risk of developing complications at this stage. most need to go through dialysis. Stage 5 End Stage CKD (GFR <15 mL/min): This is the last stage. Apart from all the symptoms mentioned above, the patient ‘s kidneys lose all their ability to work on their own. The patient may feel dizziness and hallucinate. Dialysis and kidney transplantation is extremely necessary to keep the patient alive. Who is prone to the renal failure? Kidney failure can affect if you have Poorly controlled diabetes High BP Kidney stones Family history Genetic predisposition Smoking habit Alcohol consumption habit Prostate disease Intestinal nephritis Reflux nephropathy Symptoms of a renal failure Here are the signs and symptoms of the renal failure: Fatigue Shortness of breath Confusion nausea Decreased urine output Fluid retention in legs, feet or ankles Weakness Irregular heartbeat Seizures Coma in extreme case Diagnosis of renal failure If your physician feels that you have got some issues with the kidneys, they may suggest you one or more of the following to be sure: Urine output measures: In kidney issues, urine output decreases. Keeping a tab on the urine output for 24 hours helps in determining if there is some kidney problem. Urine tests: Urine tests are the most obvious ones for kidney failure. Glomerular filtration rate and serum creatinine level tell how much effect your kidney is working. Blood tests: Just like urine tests, blood tests tell the doctors about the levels of urea and creatinine in your body. Both these substances usually get filtered out in case of normal kidneys. Their levels rise when the kidney is diseased. Imaging tests: Ultrasound and CT scan can also be performed by the doctor to look at the condition of the kidney. Biopsy: The doctor may suggest a biopsy of the day. This allows determining if you are having any cancerous growth. Complications of renal failure The kidney is the most important organ of the body as it gets rids of the waste products produced. In the case of its abnormal functioning, the toxic substances keep piling inside the body. Here is a list of complications that may arise out of it: Permanent kidney damage: If the condition is not diagnosed on time and properly, it can lead to permanent kidney damage. Fluid Buildup Chest pain Muscle weakness Death Treatment for renal failure In case of renal failure, your doctor may opt for one or more of the following treatment procedures: Injecting IV fluids: If your condition is caused by lack of fluids in the body, the doctor may go for the injection of IV fluids to maintain the fluid level in your body. Administration of diuretics: If your kidney condition has given rise to fluid retention, the doctor may go for the diuretics to get rid of the extra fluid. Infusion of calcium: Kidney issues lead to accumulation of excess potassium in the body as it fails to filter them out. To counteract this, doctors go for the administration of calcium. Dialysis: As a result of faulty kidney functions, blood becomes toxic. So, dialysis is performed so that the body can function optimally. Kidney transplantation: If the kidney failure leaves your kidneys completely useless, they are transplanted. In the spotlight Just 12 weeks of aerobic and strength-based exercises have shown improved kidney functionality in chronic kidney failure patients. Researchers at the University of Southern California have engineered a peptide nanoparticle that targets the diseased kidney cells and helps in controlling renal failure. Home remedies Drink lots of water: It helps in keeping your urinary system functioning well. Also, the fluid balance is maintained which eliminates the chances of renal issues. Take vitamin C: Vitamin c is a rich source of anti-oxidants which helps your body fight with the infections. Take parsley juice: Parsley is a rich source of vitamin A, B and C and also potassium and iron. It is a perfect kidney cleanser. Boil the chopped parsley leaves and drink the concoction. It is also a diuretic. Did you know? Every 17 in 100 people in the media suffer from some kidney problem. 30% of the 60 million diabetes patients in India are prone to developing chronic kidney disease. Only 4000 kidney transplants are performed annually in India.