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How Do You Get Chronic Kidney Disease

Refer To Nephrology If Appropriate

How do I get kidney disease? (What are the causes of kidney disease?)

It is very important for PCPs to identify patients with CKD at an early stage of the disease to prevent or delay the progression to advanced CKD or even ESRD. For patients with CKD who do progress, timely access to a nephrologist is essential to manage any advanced disease complications and potentially prepare patients for renal replacement therapy . When requesting a nephrology consultation, additional investigations are recommended.,,, Please refer to the KidneyWise tool kit for details. This workup is merely a guideline and might vary depending on the consultant nephrologists preferences.

In situations where nephrology consultation is required, PCPs should aim for a shared care model in which they do not lose the relationship with their patient, even in cases requiring ongoing nephrology follow-up. Patients with CKD still require ongoing preventive care , management of acute and other chronic medical conditions, and mental health counseling, all of which are most suitably provided at the primary care level.

Both Standard And Innovative Treatment Options

The standard of care for chronic kidney disease focuses on using medications to manage co-existing illnesses that worsen kidney function like diabetes and hypertension . For example, angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitors are frequently used to manage high blood pressure and reduce protein that is spilling into the urine.

The U-M CKD Clinic goes beyond this traditional approach, offering patients additional medical and nutritional interventions shown to be effective in clinical research, including strategies to manage the metabolic consequences of kidney disease, including anemia, metabolic acidosis, mineral and bone disease, and medical and lifestyle strategies to manage cardiovascular disease risk.

Stages Of Chronic Kidney Disease

www.kidneyfund.orgKidney DiseaseChronic Kidney Disease Stages of Chronic Kidney DiseaseMedical Advisory Committee

Chronic kidney disease is divided into five stages. The stages are based on the eGFR test result and how well your kidneys work to filter waste and extra fluid out of your blood. As the stages go up, kidney disease gets worse and your kidneys do not work as well. At each stage, it is important to take steps to slow down the damage to your kidneys.

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Chronic Kidney Disease Diet Guidelines:

Given below are the foods to eat for a CKD sufferer and also listed foods that a chronic kidney disease sufferer should avoid if he is serious about reversing his CKD naturally at home.

You need to avoid protein-rich foods as they produce uric acid, which the kidneys have to excrete. This unnecessarily creates problems for the already affected kidneys. This includes chicken, red meat, pork, beef, and animal organs.

Preventing Chronic Kidney Disease

Chronic Kidney Disease Symptoms / kidney disease

You are at risk for kidney disease if you have diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, or a family history of kidney failure. If you have risk factors, get tested for kidney disease and protect your kidneys by making healthy food choices, being more active, aiming for a healthy weight, and managing health conditions that cause kidney damage.

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What Tests Do Doctors Use To Diagnose And Monitor Kidney Disease

To check for kidney disease, health care providers use

  • a blood test that checks how well your kidneys are filtering your blood, called GFR. GFR stands for glomerular filtration rate.
  • a urine test to check for albumin. Albumin is a protein that can pass into the urine when the kidneys are damaged.

If you have kidney disease, your health care provider will use the same two tests to help monitor your kidney disease and make sure your treatment plan is working.

What Is Kidney Transplantation

Kidney transplantation involves placing a healthy kidney into your body where it can perform all of the functions that a failing kidney cant. Kidneys for transplantation come from two sources: living donors and deceased donors. Living donors are usually immediate family members or sometimes spouses. This is possible because a person can live well with one healthy kidney.

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Stage 3 Ckd: Egfr Between 30 And 59

Stage 3 CKD means you have an eGFR between 30 and 59.

An eGFR between 30 and 59 means that there is some damage to your kidneys and they are not working as well as they should.

Stage 3 is separated into two stages:

  • Stage 3a means you have an eGFR between 45 and 59
  • Stage 3b means you have an eGFR between 30 and 44

Many people with Stage 3 kidney disease do not have any symptoms. But if there are symptoms, there may be:

  • Swelling in your hands and feet
  • Back pain
  • Urinating more or less than normal

At this stage, you are also more likely to have health complications as waste builds up in your body and your kidneys are not working well, such as:

What Is Kidney Disease

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Kidney disease can affect your bodyâs ability to clean your blood, filter extra water out of your blood, and help control your blood pressure. It can also affect red blood cell production and vitamin D metabolism needed for bone health.

Youâre born with two kidneys. Theyâre on either side of your spine, just above your waist.

When your kidneys are damaged, waste products and fluid can build up in your body. That can cause swelling in your ankles, nausea, weakness, poor sleep, and shortness of breath. Without treatment, the damage can get worse and your kidneys may eventually stop working. Thatâs serious, and it can be life-threatening.

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Symptoms Of Chronic Kidney Disease

Symptoms usually develop very slowly. As kidney failure progresses and metabolic waste products build up in the blood, symptoms progress.

Mild to moderate loss of kidney function may cause only mild symptoms, such as the need to urinate several times during the night . Nocturia occurs because the kidneys cannot absorb water from the urine to reduce the volume and concentrate it as normally occurs during the night.

As kidney function worsens and more metabolic waste products build up in the blood, people may feel fatigued and generally weak and may become less mentally alert. Some have a loss of appetite and shortness of breath. Anemia also contributes to fatigue and generalized weakness.

The buildup of metabolic waste also causes loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, and an unpleasant taste in the mouth, which may lead to undernutrition and weight loss. People with chronic kidney disease tend to bruise easily or bleed for an unusually long time after cuts or other injuries. Chronic kidney disease also diminishes the bodys ability to fight infections. Gout Gout Gout is a disorder in which deposits of uric acid crystals accumulate in the joints because of high blood levels of uric acid . The accumulations of crystals cause flare-ups … read more may cause acute arthritis with joint pain and swelling.

Why Is Determining The Speed Of Ckd Progression Important

As the above studies show, there is a myriad of factors that can contribute to how fast chronic kidney disease progresses. This is complicated by the influence that genetics, related medical conditions, age, sex, lifestyle, and other various health aspects can have on a studys findings. As a result, our knowledge of the disease and our ability to make accurate predictions about its trajectory remains imperfect, despite continued progress.

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Early Ckd May Not Have Any Symptoms

You may wonder how you can have CKD and feel fine. Our kidneys have a greater capacity to do their job than is needed to keep us healthy. For example, you can donate one kidney and remain healthy. You can also have kidney damage without any symptoms because, despite the damage, your kidneys are still doing enough work to keep you feeling well. For many people, the only way to know if you have kidney disease is to get your kidneys checked with blood and urine tests.

As kidney disease gets worse, a person may have swelling, called edema. Edema happens when the kidneys cant get rid of extra fluid and salt. Edema can occur in the legs, feet, or ankles, and less often in the hands or face.

Estimated Gfr Values And Interpretation

What is kidney (renal) failure?
  • Values of > 60 mL/min per 1.73m2 without other markers of kidney disease do not indicate CKD
  • Values of < 60 mL/min per 1.73m2which are persistent are diagnostic of CKD
  • A single isolated measurement < 60 mL/min does not satisfy diagnostic criteria for CKD, but could reflect reduced kidney function and requires confirmatory testing
  • In patients with a new unexpected finding of reduced eGFR, the test should be repeated to establish stability or rapid deterioration

Caveats of eGFR

  • eGFR is an estimated value that assumes a steady state of creatinine generation
  • eGFR may be unreliable in extremes of muscle mass or with certain diets . Some medications can interfere with the excretion of creatinine (e.g., trimethoprim, fenofibrate14, 15
  • In hospitalized patients or patients with AKI the fluctuations in creatinine make eGFR unreliable. In these circumstances, creatinine values should be used to guide management
  • As a general rule, the eGFR can be used as a guide to outpatient drug dosing, even if the references use creatinine clearance . More caution is required for drugs with significant potential toxicity or a narrow therapeutic window

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What Is The Life Expectancy With Stage 4 Kidney Disease Symptoms Treatment And Diet

Written byMohan GarikiparithiPublished onNovember 23, 2017

Stage 4 kidney disease is considered an advanced from of chronic kidney disease that is characterized by a severe decrease in its ability to perform its function. At this point, the condition has reached a life-threatening territory and will require significant treatment to increase survival.

Our kidneys are two of the most important organs in the body and are responsible for removing waste and excess fluid. Most of these discarded substances are considered toxic and would lead to several abnormalities if not promptly removed.

Suffering from a damaged kidney is a major problem in the United States, with more than 30 million Americans having chronic kidney disease. Kidney function is measured based on its glomerular filtration rate , which is the process by which the kidneys filter blood and is calculated by using a mathematical formula that compares a persons size, age, sex, and race to serum creatinine levels.

The following are stages of kidney disease and their corresponding GFR:

  • Stage 1 with normal or high GFR
  • Stage 2 Mild CKD
  • Stage 3A Moderate CKD
  • Stage 3B Moderate CKD
  • Stage 4 Severe CKD
  • Stage 5 End Stage CKD (GFR

Also read: End stage renal disease or stage 5 kidney disease: Causes, symptoms, and treatment

How Can Doctors Tell My Stage Of Ckd

To find out your stage of CKD, doctors will do tests, such as:

Please note: eGFR is an estimate of how well your kidneys are working. The way eGFR is calculated will be changing. Currently the test considers your age, sex and race, among other things. A task force led by the National Kidney Foundation and the American Society of Nephrology is working on recommendations that may remove Black race as a factor in the eGFR calculation. The task force has been seeking the input of kidney disease experts to come up with the best way to make the eGFR test as accurate as possible. The American Kidney Fund advised the task force to remove race from the eGFR so there is no bias in testing kidney function. This would help to make sure that every person will receive health care that is fair and of the highest quality. When the NKF-ASN task force makes its recommendations, AKF will promptly review them and then update our educational materials.

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Cherry: Helps To Flushes Out The Nitrogenous Wastes Accumulated Due To Ckd

A decoction made using cherry flower stalks, or dry fruit should be taken a day after the main meals thrice to promote urination.

An infusion made using its stem can also be taken a day thrice. By its diuretic properties help to flush out the nitrogenous wastes that get deposited due to kidney disease.

Chronic Kidney Disease & Covid

Preventing Kidney Disease | Know Your Kidneys | AKF

Chronic kidney disease includes conditions that damage your kidneys and decrease their ability to keep you healthy by doing the jobs listed. If kidney disease gets worse, wastes can build to high levels in your blood and make you feel sick. You may develop complications like high blood pressure, anemia , weak bones, poor nutritional health and nerve damage. Also, kidney disease increases your risk of having heart and blood vessel disease. These problems may happen slowly over a long period of time. Chronic kidney disease may be caused by diabetes, high blood pressure and other disorders. Early detection and treatment can often keep chronic kidney disease from getting worse. When kidney disease progresses, it may eventually lead to kidney failure, which requires dialysis or a kidney transplant to maintain life.

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Urinalysis And Acr Values And Interpretation

  • Significant abnormalities include persistent white blood cells or red blood cells in the absence of infection or instrumentation, and the presence of cellular casts
  • Urine ACR is the preferred method to screen for protein in the urine
  • uACR quantifies albuminuria in a range which is not detected by dipstick urinalysis
  • The term microalbumin has historically been used. Recent guidelines and consensus from laboratories have recommended abandoning this term and to quote the uACR value instead13
  • uACR elevation on serial testing is abnormal
  • In patients without diabetes, no specific treatment is recommended for isolated uACR values between 3 and 30 mg/mmol. These individuals remain at risk of CKD progression and cardiovascular disease, therefore surveillance is warranted
  • uACR may be unreliable in some patients due to acute illness, vigorous exercise, poorly controlled hypertension or poorly controlled blood glucose. Repeat testing should be done when in doubt
  • Urine test abnormalities, even with persistent eGFR values 60 mL/min per 1.73m2 suggest kidney disease
  • 24-hour urine collections are not necessary in most cases
  • For equivalence of dipstick protein measurements, uACR and protein/creatinine ratios , see Appendix
  • Get Tested For Chronic Kidney Disease

    Ask your doctor about getting tested to find out your kidney health.

    You may have a strong stomach and your heart may be in the right place, but how well are your kidneys working? If you have risk factors for kidney disease, ask your doctor about getting tested to find out your kidney health.

    Your kidneys arent very largeeach is just the size of a computer mousebut theyre hard-working. They filter all the blood in your body every 30 minutes, removing wastes, toxins, and excess fluid. They also help control blood pressure, stimulate production of red blood cells, keep your bones healthy, and regulate blood chemicals that are essential to life.

    Each kidney is made up of millions of tiny filters called nephrons. Over time, nephrons can become damaged by diabetes, high blood pressure, or other causes and stop working, a condition called chronic kidney disease, or CKD. Healthy nephrons can make up the difference for a while, but if not treated, CKD usually gets worse. CKD can lead to kidney failure, also known as end-stage renal disease or Stage 5 CKD. A person with ESRD will need regular dialysis or a kidney transplant to survive.

    Chronic kidney disease is more common in women than men, but fewer women are on kidney dialysis. Why?

    If you think a friend or family member might be at risk for CKD, encourage her to put a kidney checkup on her calendar. Treatment can improve her kidney health!

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    List Of Fruits Safe For Ckd

    Similarly, fruits that can be consumed without fear include blueberries, red grapes, strawberries, cherries, raspberries, and apples. Anthocyanins present in blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries lower inflammation of kidney tissues. Their mineral content is also suitable for healthy kidney function.

    Prediabetes And Ckd Prevention

    Kidney disease tends to run in the family. Get yourself ...

    With prediabetes, blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not high enough yet to be diagnosed as diabetes. Prediabetes puts people at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. If you have prediabetes, preventing or delaying type 2 diabetes can also help prevent kidney disease. Visit DoIHavePrediabetes.orgexternal icon to find out your prediabetes risk. The website features a short quiz, lifestyle tips, and links to prevention programs across the country that are recognized by CDC as part of the National Diabetes Prevention Program.

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    Healthy Kidneys Helps Us To :

    #1. remove waste by-products of digestion and muscular activity from our blood

    #2:balance water and concentration of minerals in our body

    #3:synthesize the enzyme renin required to maintain optimal blood pressure

    #4 synthesize the enzyme erythropoietin, which in turn stimulates the production of erythrocytes.

    Kidneys also help maintain optimal bone health by synthesizing an active form of vitamin D. Continued loss of renal function over time, which may range from months to years, is referred to as kidney disease.

    Kidney disease occursas a result of genetic problems, some injury, or overreaction to some drugs. People with diabetes, high blood pressure, or genetic predisposition are at greater risk of developing it.

    The disease glomerulonephritis also brings about the continued loss of kidney functioning. Kidney stones, prostate disease, pinworm infestation of the kidney, vasculitis, polycystic kidney disease, and hemolytic-uremic syndrome are also the causative factors of kidney disease.

    Long-distance runners who ignore fluid consumption may develop acute renal failure that damages their kidneys.

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