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| Kidney Disease |
The kidneys, two organs located on either side of your spine just above the waist, made some life-sustaining roles. They cleanse the blood by removing waste and excess fluids, maintain the balance of salt and minerals in your blood, and help regulate blood pressure.
When the kidneys become damaged, waste products and fluid can build up in the body, causing swelling of the hands and feet, shortness of breath, problems with urination. If untreated, kidney disease may eventually stop functioning altogether. Loss of kidney function is a serious problem - the condition - potentially fatal.
Each kidney-shaped bean-4 to 5 inches long and contains about one million nephrons, which is like a small bag. Each nephron has a filter at one end, called the glomerulus, to filter your blood. Your overall kidney function can be measured by how fast the blood is filtered through the glomerulus. This measurement is called the glomerular filtration rate.
Healthy kidneys handle several specific roles:
- Balance the body and the concentration of mineral water such as sodium, potassium, magnesium, and phosphorus in your blood.
- Remove waste by-products from the blood after digestion, muscle activity, and exposure to chemicals or drugs.
- Produce renin, an enzyme that helps regulate blood pressure.
- Produce erythropoietin, which stimulates red blood cell production.
- Produce an active form of vitamin D, needed for bone health.
What Causes Acute Kidney Injury?
The loss of kidney function for several hours or days is called acute kidney injury, also known as acute renal failure (ARF). This can occur following a traumatic injury with blood loss, sudden reduction of blood flow to the kidneys, kidney damage from shock during severe infection called sepsis, obstruction of urine flow, or damage from certain drugs or toxins.
Acute kidney injury can also occur from complications of pregnancy, such as eclampsia, pre-eclampsia, or had HELLP Syndrome.
Marathon runners and other athletes who do not drink enough fluids when competing in long distance endurance events might be suffering from acute kidney injury due to a sudden malfunction of the muscle tissue. This damage to muscle called myoglobin release chemicals that can damage the kidneys.
What Causes Chronic Kidney Disease?
Kidney damage and decreased function lasts longer than 3 months is called chronic kidney disease (CKD). Chronic kidney disease is very dangerous because you may not have any symptoms until a large, often can not be repaired, kidney damage has been done.
Diabetes and high blood pressure is the most common cause of chronic kidney disease (CKD).
Diabetes, both type 1 and type 2 diabetes, can damage the kidneys, with loss of kidney function that is often progressive over time. Medical treatment can slow, but not the other way, it damages the kidneys. Diabetes is a major reason why people need dialysis or kidney transplantation.
High blood pressure (hypertension) contributes to loss of kidney function, usually for years. Hypertension can damage blood vessels in the kidney and accelerates renal damage from other causes, such as diabetes, too.
Immune system conditions, such as lupus, and chronic viral diseases such as HIV / AIDS, hepatitis B and hepatitis C can cause kidney damage.
Severe infection in the kidney itself, known as pyelonephritis, can cause scarring as cure the infection. Some episodes can cause kidney damage.
Inflammation of the small filters (glomeruli) in the kidneys can lead to glomerulonephritis. This can happen suddenly, such as after infection with certain strains of bacteria called streptococcus. Chronic, long-term inflammation can cause progressive kidney damage and loss of function.
Polycystic kidney disease is the most common form of inherited kidney disease. With this condition, fluid-filled cysts formed in kidney from time to time, which can damage the kidneys and cause kidney failure.
Congenital defect, which is present at birth, often the result of urinary tract obstruction or defect which affects the kidneys. One of the most common involve mechanisms such as the valve between the bladder and urethra. This defect are sometimes found when the baby is still in the womb, can often be corrected by surgery urologist.
Drugs and toxins, exposure to long includinglong for some drugs and chemicals, can damage the kidneys. Too frequent use of NSAIDs (anti-inflammatory drugs) such as ibuprofen and naproxen can be harmful to the kidneys in some people. Intravenous "street" drugs can cause kidney disease.
Article Source: Pro Healthy Life
