Medications That Can Harm The Kidneys
No matter what kind of medicine you take, whether OTC or prescription, it is destined to take a trip through your kidneys. Taking a drug the wrong way or in excessive amounts can damage these vital, bean-shaped organs and lead to serious complications. In the worst-case scenario, it could necessitate a kidney transplant.
Compared with 30 years ago, patients todayhave a higher incidence of diabetes and cardiovascular disease, take multiple medications, and are exposed to more diagnostic and therapeutic procedures with the potential to harm kidney function, according to Cynthia A. Naughton, PharmD, senior associate dean and associate professor in the department of pharmacy practice at North Dakota State University. All of these factors are associated with an elevated risk of kidney damage.
An estimated 20% of cases of acute kidney failure are due to medications. The technical term for this scenario is nephrotoxicity, which is growing more common as the aging population grows, along with rates of various diseases.
The kidneys get rid of waste and extra fluid in the body by filtering the blood to produce urine. They also keep electrolyte levels balanced and make hormones that influence blood pressure, bone strength and the production of red blood cells. When something interferes with the kidneys, they cant do their job, so these functions can slow down or stop altogether.
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Disorders With Decreased Bcaa Levels
The studies have shown that BCAA deficiency impairs mRNA translation and dietary inadequacies of BCAA result in impaired growth and protein wasting . In addition, studies in human subjects have shown that decreased BCAA level may influence synthesis of neurotransmitters and adversely affect brain function . Therefore, BCAA supplementation seems rational in disorders with decreased BCAA levels, which occur in liver cirrhosis, urea cycle disorders, and chronic renal insufficiency.
What Is A Urinary Tract Infection
A urinary tract infection UTI for short is an extremely common infection of one or more parts of the urinary tract, which consists of the urethra, the bladder, the ureters, and the kidneys.
While the body has systems in place to help keep bacteria from entering, there are times when germs get into the urethra. In many cases, bacteria dont get any further and are cleansed during urination. However, sometimes bacteria manage to proliferate in the urethra or make their way further into the urinary tract, leading to infection. Most urinary tract infections are bladder infections, but UTIs can impact the kidneys too, which is a more serious condition.
So, with that in mind, how could genital herpes lead to a UTI?
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Bcaa Affecting Kidneys & Kidney Stones
There has been a lot of talk about bcaas negatively affecting the kidneys or bcaa causing kidney stones. Some people are concerned about bcaas causing kidney pain with or without kidney stones.
In a way, this is a genuine concern because when you consume excess proteins either through your regular diet or through the use of bcaa supplements, there is a theoretical risk that the kidneys are being pushed harder than they ought to.
On this account of being pushed harder by excessive protein intake from bcaa or regular diet, the kidneys may then begin to malfunction, at least in theory anyway.
The scientific evidence regarding high protein diets or bcaas causing kidney problems is conflicting and no consistency of results have been demonstrated to reach any foregone conclusions.
This experimental study in rats seems to suggest that a high protein diet does cause the kidneys to get bigger and to filter more and more.
And if we go by the Brenner Hypothesis, then things get really interesting.
Brenner hypothesis suggests that conditions that cause the kidneys to filter harder and induce higher pressures within the kidneys will eventually lead to kidney injury over time.
Some scientists seem to think otherwise though. This alternative school of thought believes that excessive filtration that happens in the kidneys on a high protein diet is actually an adaptation of the kidneys to the new demand on it, rather than a kidney malfunction.
Characteristics Of The Study Cohort
For the 3-year study period, there were 446 465 incident dialysis patients. After applying the exclusion criteria, the sample consisted of 221 546 individuals. From this group, 2784 patients had a zoster diagnosis and 51% died .
summarizes descriptive statistics by mortality status. Patients who died were older, white and non-Hispanic when compared with those who were alive at 2years. The time to death or follow-up was 8.1 and 16.7 months in nonsurvivors versus survivors, respectively .
Descriptive statistics for mortality within each risk factor and chi-square or t-test results among ESRD zoster patients
| Variable . |
|---|
Zoster patients who died had a higher CCI and a greater incidence of bacteremia/septicemia, CDI and malnutrition. Patients with a history of kidney transplant had a significantly lower incidence of mortality. The most common primary causes of death were cardiac and unclassified other . A total of 27 patients received the zoster vaccination. Ten patients developed zoster and 17 did not .
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Is Bcaa Worth It
BC AAA supplements are not cheap. These are among the most expensive protein supplements you can buy. But, they also provide several unique benefits. As as we covered before, BCAAs help recovery and so mass growth, and help regulate blood sugar levels and reduce fatigue.
Another benefit of BCAAs is that they consist of completely natural proteins. You don’t have to put strange chemicals or herbs in your body to get the benefits. If you want these benefits, branched-chain amino acids are very much worth it.
Previous Studies Also Showed That Ppis Might Harm Kidneys:
This link is not really new. When previous research suggested it several years ago, we thought the FDA would be embarrassed. Such news also aggravates some doctors. Many people want to know whether a different class of heartburn medicine would be safer.
One reader wrote:
Q. You wrote that PPI drugs for acid reflux can put a person at risk for kidney disease. That happened to me.
I quit taking the PPI upon learning that I had stage 3 kidney disease, and my kidney function is holding steady now. Changing from the PPI was a fairly easy process. I went to Zantac, and it works well in controlling my GERD. Why does anyone take these PPI medicines? They can be so detrimental to health.
A. GERD or gastroesophageal reflux disease is not only unpleasant it can also lead to changes in the lining of the esophagus. Before proton pump inhibitors like esomeprazole , lansoprazole and omeprazole , doctors prescribed H2 blockers such as cimetidine , famotidine or ranitidine . Ranitidine is no longer available for other reasons.
H2 blockers work reasonably well to control chronic heartburn without damaging the kidneys .
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Faster Than Protein Powders
If youve never used an amino acid supplement, you may not know that they essentially serve as a leaner, more efficient form of protein supplement. After all, when you drink a protein shake, youre supplying your body with whole proteins whose primary asset is the collection of amino acids they contain to access and use these compounds, however, your body must first break the bonds between them by digesting the protein, a process that takes considerable time.
Taking an amino acid supplement, on the other hand, lets you circumvent that particular delay. Rather than consuming these nutrients in the form of a protein-rich drink or powder, downing a mix of free-form amino acids lets your system digest and absorb these compounds as much as three times faster than, say, the amino acids in whey protein, largely because they dont have to be broken down in the stomach.
What Else Can Cause Swelling
The symptom of swelling in the feet tends to be caused more often by causes other than bladder cancer.2 Being physically inactive can cause fluid to build up in the legs and feet. Swelling can also be caused by kidney, liver, or heart problems, or by blood clots. Other types of cancerssuch as kidney, liver, or ovariancan cause swelling in the feet or other parts of the body. Some cancer treatments can also cause swelling in the feet, such as certain types of surgery, radiation therapy, and certain types of chemotherapy. Would you like to talk to others in the bladder community about symptoms? Reach out in our forums.
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Symptoms Of Chronic Kidney Disease
Most people with CKD have no symptoms because the body can tolerate even a large reduction in kidney function.
In other words, we are born with a lot more kidney function than is necessary for survival. Kidney function is often sufficient if only one kidney is working. That is why people can give a kidney to someone needing a kidney transplant.
A change in kidney function is usually discovered through a routine blood or urine test. If you are diagnosed with kidney disease, your kidney function will be monitored with regular blood and urine tests, and treatment aims to keep any symptoms to a minimum.
If the kidneys continue to lose function and there is progression towards kidney failure , this will usually be tracked by blood tests and monitoring. If kidney failure does occur, the symptoms may include:
- weight loss and poor appetite
- swollen ankles, feet or hands
- shortness of breath
- erectile dysfunction in men
These are general symptoms and can be caused by many less serious conditions. Many of the symptoms above can be avoided if treatment begins at an early stage, before any symptoms appear.
If you are worried by any of the symptoms above, arrange to see your GP.
Want to know more?
- National Kidney Federation: Symptoms and Problems
Study Population And Study Design
All study cohorts were retrieved from the Longitudinal Health Insurance Database in Taiwan. The National Health Insurance program in Taiwan covers almost 99% of the entire population of 22 million people. The National Health Research Institute used the original data from the NHI database to construct a longitudinal database of patients who had been admitted between 1999 and 2008. This cohort included 2,619,534 hospitalized patients, representing 10% of all NHI enrollees and included demographics, disease and procedure codes for both clinical visits and hospitalization and medical costs and payments. This sampling fraction was based on a regulation that limits the maximal amount of NHI data that can be extracted for research purposes. Pre-admission comorbidities were determined as a specific entity recorded in at least one hospital admission or at least three outpatient department visits during the year prior to the index hospitalization, which was a relatively strict criterion and was well validated with good predicting power,,.
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Causes Of Swollen Ankles
Swelling is a common symptom that often resolves on its own with simple remedies such as ice and heat and rest. As such may be ignored by many people. One of the most common places people experience swelling is in the ankles. Many factors can lead to inflamed or swollen ankles, some more serious than others.
Are Bcaas Safe During Pregnancy
Your protein requirements do increase during pregnancy, however this can be easily made up through whole food plant sources. Getting a variety of protein from different sources can help ensure you get a full range of amino acids – nutritional sources of BCAAs include lentils, nuts, and soy proteins.
Although amino acids are found in food, the amount found in BCAA supplements is much higher than that found in a normal diet. As a pregnant woman or nursing mother you have to be particularly alert as to how much and what youre putting in your body, and consuming an excessive amount of any substance can have unintended effects on your body.
So, if you are thinking of keeping supplemented with BCAAs during pregnancy, consult a doctor to see if you actually need another source of essential amino acids, as many people already get enough. Its also important to keep in mind that the supplement market is largely unregulated, so make sure you get yours from a trustworthy source and only includes ingredients youre comfortable with both you and your baby consuming.
As always, check with your doctor before supplementing during pregnancy.
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Bcaa Supplements: Do The Benefits Outweigh The Risks
In danger of sounding like an answer to a MENSA logic problem, not all essential amino acids are BCAAs, but all BCAAs are EAAs. What am I talking about? Why, branched-chain amino acids , of course.
Lets take a look at BCAAs and why they are taking the supplement industry particularly for athletes by storm.
Cautions With Other Medicines
Some medicines can affect the way aciclovir tablets or liquid work. They can also make you more likely to get side effects.
If youre using aciclovir cream on your skin, this is less likely to react with other medicines.
Its important to tell your doctor if you take any of the following medicines before taking aciclovir:
- cimetidine, a medicine for stomach ulcers
- mycophenolate mofetil, a medicine given after organ transplants
- probenecid, a medicine for gout
- aminophylline or theophylline, medicines for asthma
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It May Signify A Blood Clot
This is especially true if the swelling is just on one ankle. This needs immediate medical attention. The clot may move into the lungs and cause pulmonary embolism. This is a life-threatening condition. Be alert to other symptoms like pain, shortness of breath, discoloured skin and light headedness.
Effects Mediated By Ala And Gln
The rate of BCAA degradation in skeletal muscle is highly responsive to their availability . The consequences of this phenomenon are that the primary effects of the consumption of a BCAA-enriched diet are activated catabolism of the BCAAs and enhanced levels of the BCKAs, ALA, and GLN in peripheral circulation . Therefore, a number of effects of BCAA supplementation are mediated by ALA and GLN. ALA is the main gluconeogenic amino acid, and GLN availability is essential for immune system, glutathione production, maintenance of acid-base balance by the kidneys, and expression of heat shock proteins.
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Foods To Avoid For Gastroenteritis
Avoid Foods Including:
Caffeine and alcohol milk and dark chocolate spicy foods dairy products .
It is a bacterial or viral infection of the stomach and bowel which can result to diarrhea with mucous and blood contents .
Other symptoms include stomach cramps, moderately high temperature, headaches, and vomiting.
Episodes of loose watery stools are passed for about 3-4 times in a day.
Many cases of gastroenteritis does not necessitate medical consultation because the symptoms usually disappear in a few days. See how to get rid of gastroenteritis.
Treatment For Kidney Failure Transplant Or Dialysis
Many people with kidney failure can continue with treatment using medicines and will have good-functioning kidneys for the rest of their lives.
In a few people, kidney disease will progress to the stage where the kidneys stop working and it becomes life threatening. This is called kidney failure or established renal failure .
This rarely happens suddenly, and there will be time to plan the next stage of your condition. The decision whether to have dialysis, a kidney transplant or supportive treatment should be discussed with your healthcare team.
Read more about dialysis and kidney transplants.
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Can You Get Chickenpox If Youve Been Vaccinated
Yes. About 15% 20% of people who have received one dose of varicella vaccine do still get chickenpox if they are exposed, but their disease is usually mild. Vaccinated persons who get chickenpox generally have fewer than 50 spots or bumps, which may resemble bug bites more than typical, fluid-filled chickenpox blisters. In 2006, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices voted to recommend routine two-dose varicella vaccination for children. In one study, children who received two doses of varicella vaccine were three times less likely to get chickenpox than individuals who have had only one dose.
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Is Collagen Good For Kidney Disease
The answer is yes. , a researcher at the University of California, San Francisco, has found that collagen in the blood of people with kidney failure is better than that of healthy people. The study, published in The Journal of the American Medical Association, found a correlation between the amount of collagen present in blood and the risk of developing kidney damage.The researchers looked at blood samples from more than 1,000 people who had been diagnosed with chronic kidney diseases, including kidney cancer, and found the presence of a protein called collagen-rich protein in their blood. This protein is found in a variety of tissues, but its particularly abundant in muscle tissue. Its also found on the surface of blood vessels, which is why it can be seen in peoples blood when theyre undergoing surgery.In the study of more then 1.5 million people, the researchers found an association between collagen levels and kidney function. They found people whose blood had a higher level of this protein had lower rates of kidney injury and death.This is important because it means that people may be able to reduce the damage caused by kidney stones by taking steps to improve their collagen level. In addition, it may help to prevent kidney stone formation.People with a high level in collagen may also have a lower risk for developing diabetes, heart disease, stroke, kidney problems, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, arthritis, cancer and other conditions.
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